tennis weekly, a good read?
by wammyhouse101
Summary: when a reporter from a magazine nicknamed tennis weekly, takes a strong interest in Tezuka, what will happen? Fuji likes Tezuka and gets jealous, but with good reason? things are more than what they seem. follow the Seigaku team as the visit tennis weekly cottage. perfect, golden and slight emerald.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- I do not own prince of tennis, and I do not gain any profit from writing this story.

thank you all for reading my story, and I'd like to thank my beta, who has been really helpful. thank you cheese rice. (she didn't know I was going to do this) ;p

Chapter 1- Do I? I do!

The day had started of as rather normal for the tennis team. They had been given permission to train for the whole day, for the upcoming tournaments, of course.

The regulars gathered around their coach as she instructed them regarding what to do.

"Eiji, you will be working with Oishi on the new training plan by Inui to improve your stamina. Ryoma and Momo, you two will be facing each other in multiple tennis matches, the same goes for Fuji and Tezuka, Inui and Kaidoh as well. Kawamura, you will mainly be focusing on your aiming. That will be all until lunch time."

After speaking, she walked back to the main school building for unknown reasons. Once out of ear-shot, Eiji started groaning "Oh man! This is boring, we should do something fun! Like having a party!" Oishi quickly told him otherwise. After that, everyone procceded to start training.

Training continued until break, where all the regulars then gathered in the changing rooms to drink some free Ponta and enjoy some free fruits, courtesy of the school.

"Guys guess what!?" shouted Momo as he shut the door loudly after being the last one to enter the room.

A chorus of 'What?'s could be heard then he continued, "I heard that we would be having a visitor in school who is going to be watching us play. THE BEST THING IS THAT THE VISITOR IS A FEMALE. OH YES!"

There was a pregnant pause before Inui added "Yes, there was indeed a 93.26% chance that it would be a woman".

"But wait, how do you know, nya?" asked Ejii in a confused state.

After a discussion as to why it is bad to eavesdrop and Inui and Momo both running 10 laps as a result, every one resumed training.

Soon the coach returned, without anyone noticing her. Accompanying her was a beautiful girl in her late teens. Her hair was long and straight and it was a beautiful light brown. She had on loose denim jeans and a slightly tight lavender v-neck t-shirt that helped to show off her well endowed chest.

While the tennis instructor planned to let their presence continue to go unnoticed, the young girl seemed to have thought differently.

"Kunimitsu!"

Fuji returned the ball to the far corner of the court; Tezuka ran to the ball and hit it back effortlessly. Fuji then hit back the ball, to no place in particular. Tezuka, being Tezuka, went to the ball then- "Kunimitsu!"…

The ball went straight past him.

Time stood still for every tennis player at that very moment. Slowly, every one of the members turned to face the source of distraction…

All except Tezuka, who tried his best to go unnoticed. Trying, yet failing horribly at the same time.

A unison of gasps were heard as the girl rushed on to the courts. Heading towards their captain.

"Hey, where were you the other day? You stood me up! That wasn't very nice!" At the sound of her high pitched voice,Tezuka winced, a very un-Tezuka like action.

"Everyone 20 laps!" yelled Tezuka in an attempt to divert the members attention. He did not succeed in doing so though.

The wide eyed regulars did as they were told,although their attention was still on their captain and the strange girl.

"What is going on?"

"What did she call him?"

"He isn't acting like his usual stoic self."

"Come on, its Tezuka, there must be an explanation." Reasoned Oishi, although it was difficult, Fuji tried to believe him.

"She said that he stood her up," Fuji argued,trying with difficulty to keep up his mask as he was feeling sad for a unknown reason. He didn't want to show his weakness in front of the team.

"Do you think that buchou asked her out on a date, nya?" asked an excited Ejii, jumping slightly as he ran.

Everyone thought for a moment, considering the idea. No one seemed to have a definite answer, for as long as they had known him, they had never seen him in a situation like this. For the most part, they just thought he was asexual.

For everyone else on the team, their captain was a person shroudded in mystery to them, so they were happy to be able to find out something about him. Though, to Fuji it was just so upsetting, the image of their buchou going out with a girl that is. He didn't even know why he was so uncomfortable with the idea. He just didn't like it. The picture seemed to light a flame under his heart. Burning it. Destroying it bit by bit. He didn't understand how to describe that intense pain he was feeling.

That feeling is commonly known as jealousy. But Fuji just couldn't put a finger to it.

Never the less, Fuji ran his laps while listening to the discussion that was happening around him despite the battle that was going on inside him.

"Why are you here?" Tezuka asked with his arms crossed, body facing away from the girl.

"I came to interview the Seigaku male tennis team, as well as to deliver this letter from my boss back at Tennis Weekly."

"Why did you come running onto the courts, don't you know that it's not allowed?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

"It couldn't have waited until practice was over?"

"…"

"And you called me by my first name. What will the members of my tennis team think?"

"..."

"Kunimitsu! Why are you the one asking all the questions?! I should be the one asking them! WHY DID YOU STAND ME UP?!" she shouted, attracting the attention of the members that were standing around after completing their laps. Many were wondering why there was even a girl on the courts. Their captain, after all, had been particularly strict with the rule regarding the presence of outsiders on the courts.

"I didn't, I never agreed to come"

"YES! YES YOU DID AGREE!"

"No, you assumed that"

"…."

"Calm down. Stop throwing tantrums and behaving like a 3-year-old kid. Its unbecoming of one your age," with that Tezuka walked to the coach and began discussing something.

"WHY DID YOU STAND ME UP?! You haven't answered my questions regarding that!"

The members all stared at her blankly. "Well, she definitely repeated that one too many times" said Oishi

"So buchou did indeed ask her out on a date!" said Momo enthusiastically. A wide grin spreading itself flat across his face

"We can't prove that. Stop starting rumours. " hissed Kaidoh

"WHAT WAS THAT MAMUSHI?! YOU WANT TO START A FIGHT YOU DAMN VIPER?!" Momo countered with an angry roar.

Oishi intervened before anything dangerous happened.

"YES! YES YOU DID AGREE! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST ADMIT IT RIGHT NOW?!" was heard from the courts once more.

Every one drew their gaze back to the loud girl who was creating the disruption. Seeing that she was getting no response from the stoic captain, the afore mentioned girl stomped off with tears in her eyes.

Fuji felt like his heart was being engulfed in fire. Rage welled up deep inside him, he knew it was because of that girl, but why exactly, he didn't know. He hated being confused. The feeling of confusion was unfamiliar to a genius like him and he wanted to rid himself of it. He wanted to know why he disliked her so much. All she had done, was come in and talk to his captain. In a very intimate way one might add.

His captain.

"That was quite a fuss that she was making back there. Tezuka, do you know her?" asked Coach Ryuzaki.

"Ah" he replied after a while of thinking. Having received the answer that she needed from the boy, she continued with their discussion.

"Well, we have been offered a trip to a cottage in the woods. In return we will have to participate in a tournament, which Tennis Weekly will be covering."

"…"

"Also some of our players will be interviewed by them. The interviews will then be featured in the magazine. As the captain, do you have any objections Tezuka?"

"Will she be there?" Tezuka said, already knowing the answer, just not wanting it to be true.

"Yes, she will be present."

"… It will be good for the team to leave behind their worries, take a few days off and relax. I have no objections."

"Alright then. I will make the necessary arrangements for this trip. Though I do require your help regarding some issues."

"Ah."

"Regulars gather around!" yelled Coach Ryuzaki.

When they have gathered around her, she then procceeded to inform them of the upcoming trip.

"Seigaku has been invited on a training holiday, to a cottage in the woods. It is up to you and your parents whether or not you will go, though I recommend it as it would be an enriching experience. The trip will last one week, including the travelling time. You will not be required to do any school work whilst we're there and you are excused from homework as well. However," she emphasized with a warning tone. "If you fail your classes, you will not be allowed to attend tennis practice, or the activities that may be conducted. The trip is free of charge, and if you wish to go, fill in this form and the details are all as above. That will be all. You are dismissed."

"Wow, that's amazing nya! A free trip! Are you going Oishi?" asked Eiji excitedly.

"Yes, I think so, lets hurry and pack and go home! Its getting late."

After some quick packing and exchanges of goodbyes, majority of the tennis players had left. Only Fuji and Tezuka remained.

"Fuji, would you like to do some light hitting?" asked Tezuka.

"Sure."

No one would notice if they practiced late, since Tezuka was the one who did the locking up, and no one was around.

Fuji walked to the other side of the court. By now the night lights had came on, and he could see the artificial light flood the courts. Though he would never admit it aloud, the first thing he thought of when he saw Tezuka's form being illuminated by the light was, 'Tezuka looks very cute. The lights really help to bring out his features.' He served the ball, which was easily returned by Tezuka and- "What? No. I did not just call my captain cute'

An inner battle soon started in Fuji's mind while the game continued. It was a quick game and neither of them really tried hard, it really was just light hitting.

"Fuji, we should stop, its getting late"

"Ok" said Fuji with his ever present smile and closed eyes, secretly hoping that he could spend more time with his captain, but he couldn't complain. It was indeed getting pretty late after all. They headed over to the changing room and he got his things together.

Then, turning around, he noticed his captain changing.

The world seemed to stand still.

He stood there, looking at his captain with longing eyes. 'Wow.. Oh god, his muscles are so toned, and his abs are so sexy. I just want to reach out and run the back of my fingers against them.'

"Fuji?" he was snapped out of his daze by his captain's alluring voice. and his face instantly turned a light shade of red. "You're not getting changed?"

"Saa… no, I needed to wash this anyway so I won't bother" he said in a flustered voice, trying very hard to cover up his embarassment, though it was difficult as his mask was cracking.

"Hn" was Tezuka's simple reply. It was so simple yet, it made his heartbeat flutter like a butterfly.

Soon, he found himself walking down the streets side by side with Tezuka in a comfortable silence while he reflected on the last five minutes of his life. 'I can't believe I said that. What was I thinking? It seems that I haven't been acting like I normally do. I should break this silence, though I really do want to continue gazing silently upon his beautifully chiseled feautures. Ok. Thats enough of him. Let's clear my mind and talk about something else like… the training holiday!'

"So, Tezuka, do you know what will be happening at the training holiday?" Fuji asked , without a break in his step.

"I have to organise the rooming and transportation to and fro, but I am unclear as to what will be happening at the venue itself." Fuji had originally half expected a reply that was along the lines of 'Hn' or 'Ah' but he was pleasantly surprised to get an actual answer that was more than 7 words.

"Really? But isn't the organization of rooming something that Ryuzaki-sensei is in charge of?"

"Yes it was. However, she said that she was busy with other things that I suppose have to do with the trip. Hence the task was left to me. It's actually proving to be quite a challenge." A surprised expression flitted over Fuji's face momentarily. It wasn't everyday that Tezuka had a problem that he was experiencing difficulties with.

Sending a teasing grin towards his captain, Fuji opened his mouth. "Maa.., a problem that even the great Tezuka Kunimitsu can't solve? The pigs must be flying."

Receiving a death glare, Fuji let out a soft chuckle." I was just you like any help?" 'It was a stupid question, Tezuka would never accept someone else's help. It was just too unlike him. Besides, he's Tezuka. Even if he had a problem, he would managed to find a way around it eventually.

"…actually I think you would be better at this than me, so yes, I would like to request for your help Fuji." 'See, he ref-… ?! TEZUKA, THE TEZUKA KUNIMITSU, ADMITTED THAT I, FUJI SYUUSUKE WAS BETTER THAN HIM?!' Fuji was sorely tempted to check if the pigs was flying but the frown on his captain's face kept him from doing so.

"Fuji. You offered your help, yet when I agreed, you wanted to back out. Don't offer something that you can't give Fuji. Its not nice. "

"I haven't even said anything Tezuka dearest."

Flushing a pale pink that was so faint that Fuji doubted that it even existed, Tezuka growled lowly. "Fuji."

"Why don't we stop at your house to look over the problem so that I can give you my expert opinion seeing as you are struggling so badly." Fuji teased with a bright smile present of his ever cheerful face, acting as if he did nothing wrong.

Fuji would have said to stop at his own house… but his sister was home, and he really didn't want her to embarrass him in front of his captain. Really, he wouldn't have minded if it was anyone but Tezuka, but he finally came to the conclusion that Tezuka was special, though the reason still remained unknown to him.

"Fuji," Tezuka repeated for the second time. Though this time, his voice was stricter,as if he said "Stop with the teasing Fuji. Or its 100 laps for you", just by saying his name.

"Saa, but I didn't do anything."

Soon, they found themselves in front of Tezuka's house; Fuji noted that he must have walked straight past his own house, since it was on the road they took.

Tezuka unlocked the door and let Fuji in first, before letting himself in and locking the door. His parents must not be home seeing as the house was eerily quiet.

They took off their shoes and went upstairs, Fuji debated on the issue of his seating. Tezuka had a desk, but it had only one chair. He could sit on his bed, but just the image alone of that specific action made Fuji blush, he didn't know why, but…sitting on Tezuka's bed probably wasn't the best idea.

The design of Tezuka's bedroom was fairly simple. The room was shaped like a square; he had a single bed pushed up against the far wall, under the window and next to the heater, next to it at a right angle was his desk, which doubled as a bed side table. In the corner opposite the door was a wooden wardrobe and a book shelf. The curtains and covers were all veering shades of blue, and his books were mainly study or tennis related. Though he did have some nature and mountain climbing related books present as well.

Tezuka sat on his bed, while Fuji sat on the chair so that they were both able to have access to the desk.

Tezuka took out some papers from his bag then laid them out on his desk. They were a layout of the place that they were to be staying at, There was a hall way, with 2 doors on both sides, which lead to 2 bedded rooms. At the end of the hallway, there was a bedroom for 3 people.

"The problem is the grouping of the people. I could have you and Ejii, Oishi and I, Echizen and Momo, but I doubt that Kawamura, Inui and Kaidoh would be a good match"

"Saa…"

Fuji looked over the papers, 'Hmm..this could be fun… Ejii and Oishi, he would like to see how that played out… Inui and Kaidoh, hmm, Tezuka wouldn't really like to be in a room of three, and I don't really think that Taka san, Momo or Ryoma would either.… who's left...'

After racking his brains for a few mintues, Fuji had worked out the best way to room the regulars. However, the arrangements made him slightly nervous.

After he had discussed what were the best groupings were with Tezuka, he bid him goodbye and went home. His sister had said to be back at six for dinner.

"Im home" he half shouted as he walked through the door, loud enough to be heard, but soft enough to not interrupt anything.

"Welcome back" greeted his sister, "You seem happy, How was your day?"

"Saa… it was a little strange. Nothing to worry about though" he replied, being truthful. It was pointless to lie, nothing fooled his sister.

"Strange?" Yumiko tilted her head curiously.

"Well, this reporter came to our school, and came onto the courts. Then we were invited on a holiday. Then I practised with Tezuka, then I helped him with some issues regarding the holiday trip at his house before coming home."

His sister visibly smirked, "so that's why you are late in arriving home, well, I hope that everything has been sorted out. Dinner will be ready in 10 minutes!"

"Saa…" he then went to his room, to think about the events that had played out that day.

"Syuusuke, DINNER!" called his sister.

"Ok".

sat opposite his sister, it was only the two of them, his parents were away on business and his brother was at the dorms.

"So, what are you doing on the holiday trip?" his sister inquired.

"Practicing tennis, teasing Ejii I suppose..other than that, I don't really know." It was true, he had no idea what would happen.

"So who are you rooming with, Eiji?"

"I was at first, but then we found out it wouldn't work, so I'm rooming with Tezuka" he couldn't stop the blush that creeped upon his face at the thought of the idea.

His sister chuckled, 'I see. So that's how it is.' "So, are you happy about that?"

"Im fine with it. Why the sudden interest?" He inquired. 'She's up to something'

"Oh,it's nothing much. Just expressing my concerns for my baby brother." she smirked, "Well, do you need me to sign anything? Like a consent slip or something? "

"Saa." Fuji took out the form from his pocket and-

"Syuusuke, by any chance..do you happen to like Tezuka? Fuji froze mid movement, opening his eyes. Then, he quickly but shakily put down the paper he was holding.

Trying to keep his tone even, Fuji opened his mouth. "W-why would y-you think that?"

Yumiko simply smiled as she said, "You always seem happy when you talk about him thats all!" Signing the form, she returned it to her brother."Here you go, all signed!" then, she walked off to do the washing up.

Fuji put the papers back in his bag, and then walked upstairs slowly.

'Do I like Tezuka?' get wondered solemnly to himself.

Example 1-"Come on, its Tezuka, their must be an explanation." Reasoned Oishi, although it was difficult, Fuji tried to believe him.

"She said that he stood her up," Fuji argued,trying with difficulty to keep up his mask as he was feeling sad for a unknown reason. He didn't want to show his weakness in front of the team.

Example 2- For everyone else on the team, their captain was a person shroudded in mystery to them, so they were happy to be able to find out something about him. Though, to Fuji it was just so upsetting, the image of their buchou going out with a girl that is. He didn't even know why he was so uncomfortable with the idea. He just didn't like it. The picture seemed to light a flame under his heart. Burning it. Destroying it bit by bit. He didn't understand how to describe that intense pain he was feeling.

That feeling is commonly known as jealousy. But Fuji just couldn't put a finger to it.

Example 3-Fuji felt like his heart was being engulfed in fire. Rage welled up deep inside him, he knew it was because of that girl, but why exactly, he didn't know. He hated being confused. The feeling of confusion was unfamiliar to a genius like him and he wanted to rid himself of it. He wanted to know why he disliked her so much. All she had done, was come in and talk to his captain.

His captain.

Example 4-'Tezuka looks very cute. The lights really help to bring out his features.' He served the ball, which was easily returned by Tezuka and- "What? No. I did not just call my captain cute.'…

Example 5- 'Wow.. Oh god, his muscles are so toned, and his abs are so sexy. I just want to reach out and run the back of my fingers against them.'

Example 6- Fuji debated on the issue of his seating. Tezuka had a desk, but it had only one chair. He could sit on his bed, but just the image alone of that specific action made Fuji blush, he didn't know why, but…sitting on Tezuka's bed probably wasn't the best idea.

Example 7- After racking his brains for a few mintues, Fuji had worked out the best way to room the regulars. However, the arrangements made him slightly nervous.

Example 8- "So who are you rooming with, Eiji?"

"I was at first, but then we found out it wouldn't work, so I'm rooming with Tezuka" he couldn't stop the blush that creeped upon his face at the thought of the idea.

Example 9-"Syuusuke, by any chance..do you happen to like Tezuka? Fuji froze mid movement, opening his eyes. Then, he quickly but shakily put down the paper he was holding.

Example 10-'Do I like Tezuka?'

Conclusion- I do


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer- why do I have to do this? I should just do a disclaimer chapter and then never do a disclaimer again! But until then, I don't own PoT

Chapter 4- setteling in to dinner

"Ok every one in the bus" said the coach who was driving the bus. Tezuka sat in the front, next to the driver, behind them, Momo and Echizen, behind them, Inui and Kiadoh, beyond them Oishi, Ejii and Fuji.

Fuji was porously avoiding Tezuka because of his new discovery, and didn't really know what to do.

After 10 minuets, Oishi had fallen asleep.

"Fuji… can I ask you something?" said Ejii nervously.

"You just did." Fuji teased. In response Ejii pouted. "Yes you can"

"h-have you ever l-liked any-y-one?" Ejii stuttered. Fuji looked forward and thought about the person at the front of the bus.

"Yes, Ejii I have"

"And did you tell them?" Ejii looked like a lost kitten, or so Fuji thought anyway.

"Im am yet to tell him" after this comment Ejii lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Him? I didn't know you're gay! Who is he? Nya!"

"You can tell me who you like first" Fuji countered

The colour of Eijis' hair looked less red by comparison to his cheeks, which were now a ruby red.

"Err… ikindalikeoishi"

"Sorry, I couldn't hear that" Fuji stated falsely, but hey, Fuji did say he would tease Ejii on the trip, didn't he.

"I kind of…likeoishi"

"Sorry?"

"I like Oishi!" an annoyed ejii half shouted, enough to let Fuji know he was frustrated, but not loud enough to let every one on the bus know.

"Saa, you could have just said so, no need to shout and I knew you liked him already" he smirked

"So?" Ejii bounced in his seat. Fuji raised an eyebrow. "Who do you like?"

"I don't know if I should tell anyone…" he had only just found out that he liked his captain, he couldn't tell anyone, could he?

"Ok, ill ask a question, and you can answer it, ok ?" Fuji nodded; he knew Ejii wouldn't give up, but its Ejii, he wont Work it out, will he? Fuji hoped not.

"Does he go to our school?"

"Yes"

"Is he in our year?"

"Yes"

"Do I know him?"

"Yes"

"Does … he play sport?"

"Yes"

"Does he play tennis?"

"Yes" _'HOW DO YOU KNOW THE RIGHT QUESTIONS TO ASK? YOU MIGHT FIND OUT AT THIS RATE' _

"Is he a regular?"

Fuji shifted his gaze to his lap "yes" that was weaker than he wanted it to be.

"Does he have glasses?"

**_'DAMN' _**"yes…"

"Is it… Tezuka…?"

"…*mumbles*…"

"Nya?"

"…yes..." Fuji whispered.

"What?"

"Yes! Yes it is!" He half shouted, letting his mask crumble under the pressure of the questions.

Every one looked at Ejii and Fuji, even Oishi, who had been woken up from the noise.

"Yes what is?" asked the half awake man.

"…"

"there is a 9.9% chance of them talking about tennis, a 25.6% chance of talking about Fuji's' cactus and a 65% chance they are talking about fuji l-" Inui started but stopped abruptly upon realising fuji was glaring at them with open, deadly azure eyes.

Just at that moment, the bus came to a hault"ok, now, you can go in and un pack your suitcase, then in 1 hour we will be having dinner, ok… now the rooms are, Ejii and Oishi, room 1, room 2, Tezuka and Fuji, room three, Taka, Echizen and Momo and in room 4, Kiado and Inui. If you need me, im in room 5." With that the coach walked of into the building pulling her luggage behind her.

The teenage tennis players all grabbed there suitcases and headed for there room.

Ejii quickly walked up to Fuji. "You had something to do with the rooms, nya!" Eiji felt a mixture of, anger, annoyance, frustration and excitement.

"Saa, I thought you'd like it, since you like Oishi"

"Well you're with Tezuka!" Eiji jumped for emphasis, causing his luggage to come of its wheels.

They walked in silence after that, because of the awkward conversion topic.

Once Fuji got to his room, Tezuka was already in and unpacking his clothes.

The room, in Fuji's opinion, was of a rather large size. Or otherwise put, was huge.

"Saa…" Fuji almost dropped his bag. _'I guess sharing a room with the person who organizes them will have its perks'_

"Fuji, don't just stand in he door way" he was brought back to realty when his captain voice, sexy and stoic as always, shook him out of his daze. So, quickly avoiding conversation -not that there was ever any real risk of that- Fuji quickly when to his bed and UN packed his belongings.

Upon reflexion, Fuji realised that the room was symmetrical. The door was directly in the canter of the room opposite it was the opening to there own on-suit. At both of the far corners were two double beds. In the corners of the wall that the door was on, were 2 large wooden wardrobes, beside them, a book shelf half full of a wide range of books. Directly in front of the door was a wooden square coffee table, about 2 feet from the floor. On each side of the table was a 2-seater dark brown couch. The room was very brown. The carpets were a beige colour, the bed covers were white but the walls had been painted a light brown. As well as all the furnishings being made from wood.

After thinking about it, Fuji concluded that this room could fit up to four people to sleep on beds and four people too sleep on the couches.

But Fuji didn't really want anyone to be in the room; after all, this room was his chance to get closer to Tezuka. At the same time, he wasn't sure if he would like to get closer, he had just realised he liked Tezuka, and he didn't know if Tezuka like him back. He hoped he did, but didn't _know._

After unpacking all of his things, he exited his room and when he found ejii, he was practically tackled to the floor when Eiji ran and glomped him, luckily Fuji wasn't called a genius for nothing, and he kept his ground.

"Our room is so cool, Fuji, nya! But its small" he pouted slightly.

Ejii then dragged him to his room.

Oishi and Eiji room looked similar to his own, minus the couches and table. It still had two wardrobes and bookshelves opposite 2 beds, but these were only single beds, and the room between them wasn't as much.

Fuji felt slightly sorry for his friend, because his room was so much smaller. But the most dominant sadistic was happy.

This truly would be a strange holiday…

Authors note. Thank you for reading.

halt. "Ok, every one off!"

All of the seigaku regulars sat along a wooden table, eating, with the coach sat at the end of the table, able to see everything. On one side, from left to right, they sat, Tezuka, Oishi, Momo, Kawamura then Fuji. On the opposite side, from left to right, went Inui, Kiado, Echizen, empty seat, and then Eiji.

Tezuka POV

After we sat down, every one started engaging in there own conversations. Then the meal came. It was a typical roast dinner, I don't know why we had a roast dinner in the woods, it seems… out of place.

Coach Ryuzaki left after 5 minuets, because she didn't feel well, I don't know why she was unwell, and she didn't tell us.

"Tezuka. Do you know who arranged the rooms for this trip?" asks Oishi, slightly flustered.

"Ah" I reply.

"Who made the arrangements?"

**_*Flash back*_**

"Fuji, why is it that you put Oishi with Eiji?" I asked. Fuji and Eiji are best friends, it seems slightly confusing to me.

"Saa…Tezuka, trust me, it will work out well…" replied Fuji smiling widely

_That_ was _not_ a good sign.

He was up to something.

"If Oishi asks, just say coach decided it." I didn't want to go along with some plan of his, but if I didn't lie, I was stuck in a room with him for a week and who knows what he could do. To me that is.

I would never show it, but I know everyone on the team is frightened of Fuji. Including me. We all know the kind of tricks he plays. I didn't want to anger him by disagreeing, but it did go against my morals, I decided to just reply with a "ah,"

**_*end of flashback*_**

"coach." I reply after thinking for a moment.

He looked conflicted. I could guess why. He feels uncomfortable staying in a room with Eiji, but he can't do anything about it.

Im not as dense as everyone claims, I do know my best friend loves his doubles partner. I refuse to talk about it or bring it up in conversation, but none the less I know about it.

There are probably some relationships that I don't know about going on within the team, and frankly, until they are public, I'd prefer not to know. Why would I want to know if Inui and Kiado are dating? Im the team captain, I don't get involved with such things.

Before I knew it, I had finished my food. I stood up to take out my plate when…

Fuji POV

I sat opposite Eiji at the dinner table and as far from Tezuka as I can. I can hear Eiji talking about some new tennis grip he is using, but I can't concentrate. My mind keeps drifting back to my captain. His handsome looks, his great tennis skills, his stoic voice, and his smile. That smile that so little ever seen, that smile that makes me melt like an ice cube in the safari . Just thinking about it makes my hand shake slightly.

When did I become this, im like one of those girls im my sisters movies, they fall in love with a the hottest guy in school, then they mope about unrequited love, but my movie wont have a happy ending. How could it, I am in love with kunimitsu Tezuka, national league tennis player who has girls throwing themselves at him twenty four seven. There is no way he is gay, never mind likes me.

What's good about me? I look like a girl, im a sadist, I play mean pranks and I practically never smile honestly. Why would Tezuka like Me?

"Fuji… Fuji… moshi moshi?"

I suddenly wake up from my trance when Eijis hand came in front of my face, waving back and forth.

"So Fuji, what are you going to do? Nya"

"About what?"

"About Tezuka? Are you going to make a move?"

"I don't know, I don't want to ruin our friendship," what if Tezuka doesn't want to talk to me because he thinks im like one of those girls that through them selves at him.

"You wont know unless you try…" he was right, and I knew it, I just wouldn't admit it.

"I will make a move when you do! When you tell Oishi, I will tell Tezuka." That was the best resenting I could come up with. Equivalent exchange. He confesses, I confess.

"but its different with me, if Tezuka doesn't like you the worst that could happen is he stops talking to you, but me and Oishi are doubles partners, if he wont talk to me, my tennis is ruined, nya. Im not like you or ochibi, I need a doubles partner…"

I was shocked, both at that Eiji had said a paragraph worth of speech without saying something funny but also that it was so wise and deep… so unlike him.

Then I realised, his eyes were glazed. He was about to cry…

I felt bad for making my friend cry, im not as sadistic as you might think, not when it comes to the people I love, family, close friends, I can't bare to see them upset.

"Eiji, don't worry, Oishi will always be your doubles partner… don't cry…"

"got ya!" Eiji started laughing, he tricked me! Im mad but I smile slightly anyway.

"Eiji, don't scare me like tha-"

"Kunimitsu!" I knew that voice.

I hate that voice!

I know why I hate it now. Because she can say 'Kunimitsu' like its nothing, but I would kill to say it, and probably never will be able.

I look round to the source of the awful sound, I see Tezuka stood up holding his plate, with two arms round his torso.

I grip my cutlery a lot harder than I probably should. It hurts my hands, but I don't care, im angry, im mad and worst of all im jealous. I want to be the one holding him, like that would ever happen.

I heard Tezuka cough loudly, like he was irritated, or maybe I just imagined that…

She unwrapped her self from the source of my affection, and I loosen the grip on my fork. Then she looked at him 'sweetly' and from behind her back she pulls out a box of chocolates.

If I had been in the right state of mind I would have questioned where she held them when both her hands were around Tezuka.

But…

I _WASN'T _in the right state of mind, I was as angry and jealous as hell. My heart was racing, my eyebrows were twitching, and im pretty sure I have bent my knife from holding it to tightly.

I couldn't take any thing any more, I just got up, and ran out of the room. I would make an excuse later

I could feel a tear roll down my cheek

Authors pov.

Tezuka was startled when his name was called shortly before being glomped by a sadly familiar face. He coughed as a signal for her to get off of him. It sounded a lot more annoyed than he had hoped it would be, but never the less it worked.

The girl looked at him, the look was probably supposed to appear sweet, but to the tennis player, it just seemed to irritate him.

The girl handed him a box of chocolates. It wasn't small, it was rather large in his opinion, and looked quite expensive.

He heard a noise of some one leaving behind him; he didn't look, because he was pre-occupied with the girl in front of him and how strange she was.

He took the box in front of him with his right hand; it would be rude to decline such an expensive gift. However the other hand remained clenched by his side.

"I hope you like it, Kunimitsu! Sorry, I have to go, See you later!" she said smiling.

He really didn't know what to say, he had just accepted a gift from her, however he really didn't want to imply that he wanted to see her again.

"Hn." After taking that as some sort of recognition, the girl turned and left.

He sighed. His team mates didn't seem to notice as no one said anything, to his relief.

After making sure the girl wouldn't be able to see him, Tezuka walked over to the bin and-

"Captain, are you throwing that away?" asked a shocked Momo, who was obviously opposed to the idea of throwing away expensive food, or… any food.

Would he had not have been a composed captain, he would have rolled his eyes, but unfortunately he was the captain and refrained from such things.

"Ah"

"Tezuka, you shouldn't, it was a gift, you should eat them, don't throw them away" scolded Oishi, being the motherly figure he always was. He was right, he should eat them, but he didn't want, need, ask for them, or even like them for the matter.

"I don't eat chocolate" he stated simple

"Can we have it captain?" asked Momo excitedly.

Tezuka could have face palmed, he could have, but didn't.

"Ah" he handed Momo the chocolates then announced that he was going out side.

"Fuji." Eiji stood out side his friends door, worried and scared, for his friend. He had never scene Fuji like this.

"Fuji!" Still no answer.

He wanted to help him, to comfort him, but Fuji had locked the door from the inside, he couldn't get in.

"Fuji, open the door"

After five minuets of trying, stood out side the door, Eiji left to try and get help.

Fuji sat on the couch, his knees pulled up to his chest, his arms embracing himself for comfort. Some one told him once, that when the human is scared or sad, they run away into a dark place and sit in the foetal position, because it is where the human feels safe, back in the whom. He laughed when he heard that, that day. But know he knows it's true more than ever.

He felt like he had just watched all his dreams die in front of him. The man he loved collects a gift from the women he hates.

He could hear Eiji calling for him through the door.

Knocking.

Shouting.

He didn't want to talk to any one right now; he wanted to sit by him self in complete silence. For once in his life, just once, to let his mask crumble, to wallow in a puddle of tears and self pity. To not smile constantly. To be sad.

To be alone.

Fuji replayed the events of that meal, over and over in his head, as he slowly cried him self to sleep.

Tezuka had gone for a jog after the meal. To clear his head.

After realising it was starting to get dark, he set of back to the cottage.

By the time he got back it was almost completely dark, and it was 9:30.

He walked through the door, only to be greeted by a some what irritated face.

"Tezuka, do you know what time it is?" angrily asked his coach.

"I apologies for my lateness, I didn't realise the time"

After being dismissed by his coach, and being let of with a warning, he walked down the hall way to find that every one was already in there rooms.

He found that some what strange, it was only 9:30, but who was he to judge.

He pulled the handle to his door down, only to find that his room was locked. He took out his keys and unlocked the obstacle.

Once Tezuka opened the door, he soon found there was no light on. After confronting the problem, he looked around his room. He saw Fuji, directly in front of him, laid on the couch, his head resting against a decorative cushion, and his knees brought up to his chest by his hands.

Quickly discovering that he was asleep, Tezuka first thought was not to disturb him.

Thinking about it more, he realised that Fuji would probably get cold during the night if he stayed there. Not knowing what else to do, he took of his regular's jacket and laid it over the boy.

He then got changed into his night clothes, a t-shirt and jogging bottoms, turned of the light, then climbed into his bed and fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

disclaimer- i do not, now, or ever, own, or intend to own, prince of tennis

chapter 3- sleepover!

The Seigaku regulars stood in a line, ready to receive orders from their coach.

"Well, I have just been informed that whilst this is a tennis tournament we have been invited to attend, we will have a week prier to the tournament, where we could train…." She looked down slightly, "the cottage we have been placed in, no longer has a court, so im afraid we will not be training to day."

At that moment, the eyes of the seigaku team members were open wide, (except Fuji, who, almost never opens his eyes) because, they had just realised, they had a weeks worth of time to fill, and no tennis training. That is a pretty good deal, all they had to do was play in a tournament.

Every one (except Tezuka, who almost never smiles,) smiled at the thought.

"Well… there is a café half way up the mountain. If you want to go there… but I have nothing for you to do, have fun" and with that, the coach was off.

There was an awkward silence for 5 seconds or so…

"So… should we head of to the café?" asked Oishi, breaking the silence.

"We have nothing better to do…" reasoned Momo.

So the seigaku players stated their trek up the mountain to the café.

"What are we going though be doing for the rest of the week?" asked Oishi

"We will spend 33% with training, 25.6% asleep and the remaining 52.4% on leisure." Inui conformed.

The members took a second to consider how he came to that conclusion, but ended up with no answer and moved on.

They continued up the mountain side, each engaged in their own conversation, or form or entertainment. Echizen drinking ponta silently and Tezuka simple listening to the conversations around him.

Fuji, on the other hand, was lost in thought.

**_*flash back* _**

_Fuji woke up from an awful dream. He was sat talking to his friends when every thing went black, then all his friends ran away from him._

_He was relived to find out it was all just a dream. _

_He turned bright red one he realised why he felt so warm. Wrapped round him was Tezukas' regulars jacket._

_He could still faintly smell Tezukas' scent. He couldn't place it; it was like a cloud of indescribable joy._

_When he got up, he had discovered that his roommate had already left. He then remembered that Tezuka had once said that he went for a walk when he woke up._

_He was slightly saddened by that, but he was still ecstatic._

_He folded the jacket and placed it at the bottom of Tezukas' bed, then got washed and changed_

**_*end of flash back* _**

Fuji smiled genuinely, for the first time that holiday.

Maybe, this might be a good holiday after all.

Once they reached the café every once gathered at a long table. It was a rather small café, and they took up half of the space.

The employees seemed happy to see them. They mustn't get many customers, being on a mountain, and all.

"So can I take your orders?" asked the waitress.

"A coffee and a biscuit please" Oishi said, she looked to Kaidoh

"Nothing for me"

She looked next to him, to Inui. "I have my own juice" every one shivered at the thought, they must have looked very strange.

She looked to Momo, "Can I have… an extra large coke and 10 burgers?" He ordered. It was only a small café so it would be rude to get more than 10, right?

Every one chuckled as the waitress stood wide eyed and mouth agape. She looked to Echizen who was sat next to Momo. "10 burgers and a ponta" he said it so nonchalantly and without eye contact, the waitress almost dropped her note book, he was only a kid, how could he eat so much?

On the other side of the table, opposite Oishi, was Eiji, "I'll have a slice of cake and hot chocolate"

Fuji could have laughed at his predictability, "Saa… Can I have some wasabi sushi?"

Next to Fuji, Tezuka answered "tea please,"

"Nothing for me" said a racket-less Kawamura, lacking in his BURNING personality.

"Ok, then I'll is back in a moment" she said with a smile them walked away.

She was a short girl with long blond pigtails. She must had only been 14, give or take.

There was an empty silence for a while. Then Eiji started glowing with excitement.

"I HAVE AN IDEA! NYA" he bounced, "let's have a sleepover!"

Every one turned to look at him. "A sleepover?" questioned Momo.

"YES! A sleepover, a slumber party, _soiree pyjama" _stated Eiji like it was so obviously a great idea.

"That's A GREAT IDEA" Momo said enthusiastically.

"Where would we have it?" asked Oishi.

"Our room is quite big? Right Tezuka?" said Fuji, trying to push Tezuka buttons.

He glared at the smiling genius. "Ah"

"Well?" said Eiji impatiently, getting more and more exited as it goes on.

"Where would we sleep? On the floor"

"We have 2 double beds, and four couches, im sure we could drag in a mattress" Fuji continued, much to Tezukas' annoyance.

"So…?"

"fine." Oishi sighed.

This was going to be trouble.

They would need a lot of supplyes and so, they created a plan, or 3.

**Code-**

Tensai- Fuji

Big boss- Tezuka

Ijuice- Inui

Cobra- Kaidoh (viper would be obvious)

Don- Momo

Made made dane- Echizen

Fire wood- Kawamura

Elastic- Eiji

Mother hen- Oishi

Bus- Coach Ryuzaki (awesome pun intended)…

0-5 - Problem

0-6- mission failed

6-0 – mission Complete

Service ace- all clear

Return ace- problem avoided.

Match and set, seigaku- Mission accomplished

* * *

**Operation:**

**G**et.

**L**oads.

**O**f.

**F**ood.

**F**or.

**U**s.

**T**o.

**E**at.

**Objective-** retrieves food from the kitchen, without being caught.

**Mission stages:**

Big boss distracts Bus buy talking about the tennis tournament, then gets the keys for the kitchen when she is not looking, then says he is going to the toilet and gives the keys to fire wood, before returning.

Fire wood, reports through walky-talky to head quarters, that he has the keys, before passing them to Made made dane, then returning to his room, And opening the window.

Cobra and Ijuice scout the area to make sure no one is left on the grounds, then once sure, report back to headquarters.

Tensai, at head quarters, tells Made made dane, 'service ace'

Made made dane, enters the kitchen and unlocks the window.

Don, waits out side the kitchen window.

Made Dane feeds food through the window.

Don, transports the food to Fire wood through his window.

Fire wood transports the food to headquarters.

Tensai tells everybody 'match and set, seigaku" through walky-talky, and everybody returns to headquarters.

* * *

**Operation-**

**G**et

**A**

**M**attress

**F**or

**K**awamura

**A**nd

**B**edding

**Objective-** successfully retrieves: 1 mattress, 7 pillow and 10 quilts, without being caught.

**Mission stages:**

Mother hen and Elastic wait in fire woods room, until they get signal form headquarters.

Once they have the signal, remove the bedding form all 3 beds and silently take them to head quarters.

Wait, for fire wood to return, then after confirming which the correct mattress is, take it to headquarters.

Enter Ijuice and Cobras' room and remove the bedding and take it to head quarters silently.

Pile the bedding in the corner of the room, then wait in head quarters until GLOFFUTE is completed.

**Operation**- GTGPTG

**G**et

**T**he

**G**olden

**P**air

**T**o-

**G**ether

**Objective**- get the Eiji and Oishi together without them knowing he is involved.

**Mission parts:**

Use truth or dare to get them closer.

Get fuji and Tezuka on board.

Use the sleeping plans, with fuji and Tezuka' permission, to get them to sleep in one bed.

Hope.

**Operation- **G. T.A.F .T.-G.

**G**et

**T**ezuka

**A**nd

**F**uji

**T**o-

**G**ether

**Objective- **get fuji and Tezuka together, with out them knowing.

**Mission parts:**

Use truth or dare to get them closer

Get Eiji and Oishi in on it

Persuade them to let Inui arrange the sleeping orders to '_help with plan GTGPTG', to get them to sleep in the same bed_

Hope

**Chances of success:**

GTGPTG- 34.8%

GTAFTG- 45.3%

Every one was prepared to go on their respective missions. After running through the plans, demonstrating how to use the walky-talkies, and discussing why Inui even had walky-talkies, and blackmailing Tezuka with aozu, he finally agreed to help. (aozu is the blue drink from prince of bowling)Anyone would over drinking that! Even fuji fell to it!

"Rysaki sensei, do you know what we are going to do regarding the tennis tournament?" asked Tezuka.

"Well not yet. Why do you ask? Would you like to get it out of the way?"

"They team keep asking about it." That was a convincing lie, right?

"Ok, well let's get it done". Then they walked through 2 doors and got to a room, which appeared to be her office.

He immediately noticed the keys on the side of her desk.

"well, if we Eiji and Oishi in doubles 1, and you in singles 1…"

"I was wanting to try something different." He wanted to test his team. They had relied on Tezuka, Fuji, and the golden pair. He wanted to see how they would deal with them not playing.

"your ideas?" she questioned.

"do you have a pen? I'll write it down."

"Oh…ah…" she looked around, then bent down to look in her draws for the stationary item.

Silently, while she was distracted, he picked up the keys for the kitchen and placed them in his pocket. Just after he had done this she looked in his direction holing a pen.

He hadn't really thought about his plan further than that.

He scribbled down (well, it was his version of a scribble, every thing Tezuka did was always to a curtain standard) the results of very quick thinking.

He wanted to make sure they would win, but to make his team work for it.

For singles, he decided to test Momo, Kawamura and Echizen. For doubles, he didn't want Eiji and Oishi to play… Inui and kiado…

Him and fuji?

It was all he had, so he went with it.

"well… ok." After that he said bye and left. He knew he should have returned to distract her, but he was hardly the conversationalist.

He passed the keys to '_firewood' _before returning to _'headquarters'._

"You were supposed to stay and talk to her" said _'tensai'_

"I couldn't" it was a simple answer, but it seemed to work as fuji left the matter.

He then took out his book and started reading.

He could hear the conversations of the genius on the walky-talkys, and it seemed every thing seemed to be running smoothly.

" ...*crackle* … 0-5…I repeat, 0-5…this is Ijuice, suspicious person heading in the direction of headquarters. Person is female, short brown hair, is holding what seems to be a reporters note book. She appears to be looking for some one"

Fuji clenched his fist. Not only does she have to cling to Tezuka like a limpet, but now she was going to interrupt the teams' plans as well!

"Tensai?... Tensai? This is Ijuice, can you hear me"

"Ne, yeah, I will deal with the problem…" he released his hold on the transmission button of the communication device and looked in the direction of his captain. "Tezuka, could you watch the walky-talkies for a while, I have to take care of a problem."

"Ah"

And with that said, Fuji walked out to the area that Inui was at.

After a short minuet walk, Fuji came across the girl. She did, much to Fuji's dismay, looked rather pretty. Her hair was shoulder length and complemented her face nicely. She had grey-green eyes and very pink lips, not to mention that her upper body was very well formed.

"Saa, oh, you're the reporter?" he said acting as if he had just noticed her. He didn't need to look to convincing because she couldn't see very much. It was getting late and there were no lights on.

"Yes… your Fuji… you're on Kunimitsus' team right?"

**_'Kill me now, before I kill her'_**

"Yes, what are you doing hear?" he said through gritted teeth, trying his best to stay polite, but her attitude wasn't helping, and she flung that name around like it was nothing.

"Oh, I was looking for him, I wanted to ask him if he liked the chocolates, and ask him on another date"

**_'From what I heard, last time it didn't go so well! Ha, he stood you up'_**

It was a bit harsh, he knew. But being in love with someone changed you, and, he was a sadist already. He was bound to react badly, right?

"Oh, sorry, he's"… **_'Think of something, think of something! Something believable'_**… "In the shower"

"Oh, it's alright, I'll wait for him…"

**_'Damn'_**

"Oh, don't you know, he always goes straight to sleep after he showers, I would know, I share a room with him"

He was Fuji.

Fuji the sadist.

If he couldn't tease some one in these circumstances he would not be worthy of the titles Tensai, genius, or prodigy. Besides, he wanted to rub her nose in it.

"Oh!" She seemed slightly aggravated now. "You would know would you?" Correction, very aggravated. She took two steps closer to Fuji so they were almost nose to nose. Maybe provoking her was a mistake…

"Well, you best NOT. Know. Because he is MINE! And I won't let a little girly boy take him away from me… I don't even know why Im bothered, he's not gay anyway, why would he like you?" she turned around and started walking away. Then she stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Tell kunimitsu I said hi, yer?"

Fuji stood in shock as he watched her retreating figure in the dimmed light. Was he just… _threatened?_

The female persons would always remain a mystery to him, sure he got jealous; but he didn't act like that! He just clenches his fists and holds his ground. But that! That, was boarder line yelling.

He could hear his walky-talky crackle so he held it to his ear. " Game and match, seigaku. I repeat. Game and match, seigaku"

Nice to know that Tezuka had actually watched the walky-talkies whilst he was gone. It was also a relief to know the mission had gone well and they could finally start their


	4. Chapter 4

disclaimer song- no im being serious i actualy made a disclaimer song www. youtube watch?v = IpEndICAPjE just take out the spaces and it links you to it.

Every one gathered in their captains' room, all wearing their pyjamas, almost all exited.

Eiji was wearing loose red trousers and a white vest with the words 'I AM A CAT, NYA' wrote in big red letters. Some times he was so childish it was cute.

Most of every one else was wearing loose pyjama bottoms and a white t-shirt. Inui was wearing dark blue, Kiadoh was wearing green, Oishi was wearing grey-blue, Tezuka was wearing a light blue-purple and Momo was in brown.

Echizen was wearing blue trousers and a white vest with a message, but the message said 'im arrogant, but im still better than you'. It was supposed to be funny, but it was true most of the time…

Kawamura was wearing a pair of red shorts and a shirt that had the words 'im so hot im burning' written on it. While it was a laugh for the team, it made him very anxious.

Last but not least, Fuji was wearing a light purple v-neck shirt with dark blue trousers.

Everyone was sat on the sofas in the centre of the room. Inui and Kiadoh on one, Fuji and Eiji, Oishi and Tezuka, Momo and kawamura on the last one with Echizen sitting on the arm rest.

"What should we do? We haven't really had a sleepover before!" Eiji asked excitedly.

"We could watch a movie?"

"No TV"

"Dance?"

"No music"

"Tennis?"

"No rackets"

"I know." Fuji beamed his smile widening. "Would you like to play a game?" Every one nodded. "Ok but if you say you are going to play you can't back down…" That made every one worry, but they wanted to do something so they all agreed.

Fuji got up and walked over to his bag, he pulled out a half drank cola bottle. Before returning he downed the contence. He placed the bottle in the centre of the table.

"The rules are… we spin the bottle and who ever it lands on we ask truth, dare, kiss or swear. Then they chose. If you pick truth, we are aloud to ask them any thing, if dare, we can dare them to do anything. Swear, they swear. Kiss, they kiss some one."

"Any other rules?" asked Momo

"You can't dare anyone to kiss someone, or dare them to tell you something, and all the dares have to be legal."

"And if you don't do your dare or whatever?"

"You… drink aozu"

Everyone regretted playing this game now.

They were definitely doing their dares!

Fuji spun the bottle and it landed on Kaidoh "dare"

Everyone thought for a moment before Echizen spoke up "I dare you to pick up a snake, tomorrow, in the woods"

Kaidoh hissed, everyone took that as an 'ok I'll do that'.

They spun the bottle again, it landed on Inui. "Truth"

Eijis eyes widened, "what is in your juice drinks!?"

Every one leaned in, very intrigued as to just what was in his juices.

…

…

…

…

…

The room stood still in complete silence. Everyone inching closer ears wide and ready.

…

…

…

…

"I don't know without my ingredients list, it's at home"

The whole room seemed to sigh in disappointment. They were so close. Oh well…

They spun the bottle again. It landed on Fuji.

_'Choosing truth would be suicide with Eiji in the room, and Inui probably new it as well… kiss… THAT IS OUT OF THE QUESTION… Inui probably has the room rigged with wire tabs and cameras so I can't choose swear.'_

"Dare"

Inui smiled manicly. Like he had just recreated Frankenstein's monsters. He pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose.

"I dare you to sit on Tezukas lap for the rest of the night"

Fuji went bright red and his eyes shot open. He then quickly hid it and looked down, thinking carefully about what he should do.

_'there is no way I could do that, I mean, that's just like telling every one im gay, ne? But if I don't… I can't drink aozu… Damn! Damn! Damn! What do I do? Although I would like to sit on his lap, this wasn't quite what I had in mind, I mean, it would be to embarrassing, everyone is here!-'_

"This isn't my dare, what would happen if _I_ said no?" asked Tezuka, interrupting Fuji's inner raving.

_'Yessssssssssssss! A way out of the dare!'_ though Fuji couldn't help feeling slightly saddened by that comment.

"Then you drink aozu." Said Inui calmly.

_'NOOO!'_

Fuji glanced at Eiji, his eyes begging for help. "But it isn't his dare, he shouldn't have to!" Eiji half shouted.

"But it would still stop the dare. They would both have to drink it."

Was Inui out to get him? Did Inui secretly despise him?

No.

Inui simply couldn't bear to live in environment he where he knew people like each other and refused to acknowledge that! Inui was just being the catalyst. They liked each other, Inui knew that, but they didn't. And if they didn't, inui would make sure something happens so that they did.

The simple fact that Fuji didn't just complete the dare meant he liked Tezuka. If it were any one else he would just had done it.

But he didn't, and it was because he was embarrassed.

But what would Fuji do now?

Tezuka sighed. "I don't know just how bad this is, I can't say anything"

Momo had his lips together stopping him from laughing. It wasn't every day this kind of situation arises. It was win win for him. He either got to see Fuji sit on Tezukas lap, which would be sooooooo funny; or wait until they pass out from aozu and draw moustaches' on them, which would be sooooooo funny- but will probably, earn them all laps later.

Beside Momo was Echizen, who being younger, didn't quite recognise the significance of sitting on a mans lap, if you were gay, which everyone suspected, both Fuji and Tezuka were. No, the smaller boy was thinking more of how he would get a proper seat if Fuji sat somewhere else, and wouldn't be sat on the sofas' arm rest.

Fuji held him self together, walked over to Tezuka, prepared himself for social suicide, and then sat down on the older boys lap. Very much to Tezukas' surprise.

Momo who was sat on the couch to the left of them, Broke out in a fit of stifled laughter.

"Ha… ha ha… ha ha-ha ha…ha" he leant forward almost resting his head in his own lap, trying to hold in his laughter. While the taller tennis player was breaking down into hysteric laughing fits, Echizen just got up silently, and sat down on the seat Fuji was previously sat it.

Fuji shifted half sideways so that he was kind of leaning against the arm rest, this position also allowed Tezuka to see in front of him. Although Fuji moving on his lap made Tezuka feel no better.

Inui, wanting to get away from the awkwardness, spun the bottle. It landed on Echizen.

"I dare you to down 10 bottles of ponta, in less than a minuet"

Everyone, with the exception of Fuji, Tezuka, and Inui, followed Echizen to his room where he attempted to drink 10 cans from his secret stash of ponta. Down the hall they could hear shouts of "go on ochibi!" and "you can do it"

"I have been meaning to talk to you two, and I couldn't think of a better way, sorry" Fuji was livid. The whole reason he was on his crushes lap, was just because Inui wanted to talk to him?

"Saa, what is it?" said a seemingly calm but secretly raving Fuji.

"I was wondering if you would let me decide the sleeping arrangements"

"Why would we do that?" asked a slightly annoyed Tezuka.

"Because I have a plan; and it needs your help."

Fuji suddenly felt somewhat happier. At least if he was going to commit social suicide, he would be able to watch some one else do the same as well.

"Your plan?" he said smiling widely, momentarily forgetting his position.

"Get Oishi and Eiji to sleep in the same bed."

"Yes!" was Fuji's' immediate reply.

"thank you, and im sorry about the possession your in, but remember, its just a dare. You could make all the others uncomfortable by acting like a couple though. I would get some good data from that."

_'if your going out, might as well go out with a bang, ne'_

"saa, that would be fun"

Fuji honestly hadn't expected anything to come of that comment. He certainly didn't expect his captain to agree.

The thought sat some where in his mind, but he didn't quite register it. It would be to unrealistic. There is no way that Tezuka would go along with it. Right?

... Right?

But he did, and Fuji was going to make the most of it!

After about half a minuet of thinking to himself, still sat on Tezukas lap, the rest of the team came back through the door.

Shortly after them was a very sick looking Echizen. Who had, very obviously, drank a little too much ponta.

After every one had sat down Fuji decided it was time to start the play. He snuggled back so he was leaning half on the armrest half on Tezuka. He felt his stomach do a summersault. His heart skipped a beat. He had never experienced a moment like this, and he was sure his heart was beating so hard that Tezuka could feel it through his chest.

But all that was nothing to how he felt when Tezukas arm snaked around his waist.

He. Died.

He was in seventh heaven. He never wanted this moment to end.

He hadn't noticed but when he looked at the table, the bottle was in his direction. Maybe it was pointed at Tezuka, he was too happy to care.

"Tezuka?"

"Truth"

"Who is that girl who gave you chocolates?"

...

Fuji was no longer happy. He had only just managed to get close to Tezuka, and now _she _was going to ruin it; and she wasn't even here!

"I don't know."

A strangely tense silence floated around as they thought about that. Everyone looked at Tezuka questioningly, did they hear him right?

"I don't know her" he repeated.

Yep, they did hear him right.

"But she said you stood her up! You must have known her! You were going on a date!" Momo shouted while looking at Tezuka incredulously. How could he not know her? She gave him chocolates, which were delicious, and Momo ate them, so he knew it well.

"No we were not"

Fuji couldn't help but feel happy about the fact that it was all a misunderstanding, but happier with his current position.

"Ie data" said Inui as he scribbled down something in his notebook. What Fuji thought was it was just about what Tezuka had said, but in reality, it had been that Inui had just noticed the position that Fuji and Tezuka were. It seemed some of the others had realised it too, as when Fuji looked around, he noticed Kaidoh had a very pink face, which was so unlike him, with his 'scary' personality, and all. Oishi also seemed to have a rather red blush across his cheeks. Momo and kawamura were still slightly confused by it all, while Echizen being as dense as always, not noticing the romance in the situation at all.

Eiji looked at Fuji. It was a look that said _'oh my god! … Nya!'_

Fuji couldn't help it, he let out a giggle.

The scene in front of him was just too funny.

Saying that, the view from there perspective must be pretty unusual two.

Tezuka smiled slightly too, not a grin, but just enough of a smile to prove he was happy. Not that anyone saw it though.

An awkward silence loomed over the tennis players, which in hindsight probably should have been expected.

Inui decided it best to cancel out the silence by suggesting something. Anything. The silence was suffocating him.

"Do you all have your Ipads with you?"

They had been given Ipads and unlimited credit by an unknown sponsor, so that they could record there matches and watch them for training purposes. That being said, it doesn't mean that is what they _were _used for. They just used them to play on gamed with angry birds, tinytowers and other non-tennis related things. Thinking about it, the sponsor was really stupid.

After receiving conformation that they did all have them, Inui had an idea "have you ever played _'battleships from that other galaxy'_?"

None of them knew exactly they ended up like this. Sat in two different rooms, around a table, Ipads in hand and everyone ferociously tapping the screen.

Wait… no, it was because of that game Inui suggested.

**_*Flash back* _**

_"What's that? Nya?" asked Eiji confused. It wasn't like Inui had just said he was from another planet, it honestly shouldn't be too hard to work out._

_"It's a game."_

_Everyone looked at him, with a mixture of excitement, curiosity, stupidity and questioning in their eyes. _

_"You work in teams, and then you have to destroy all the other ships, or the enemy leader." He further explained. That was somewhat helpful to them._

_"And…?" _

_"And we could play it" that was fairly obvious_

**_*end of flashback*_**

The teams were two groups of four.

In group 1, or _'kawaii power cactus' _team, was Eiji, Fuji, Oishi, and kawamura. They had stayed in Fuji's' room

In group 2, named 'made made data snake' was Inui, Kaidoh, Momo and Echizen.

Tezuka had stayed out of this one. Mainly due to the fact that he didn't play computer games, but also to help with the fact that they had an odd number, so someone would have to sit out anyway.

He had realised that they could play in three groups of three, but he didn't want to play so he let it slide.

The game of truth or dare had ended do Fuji didn't need to sit on his lap anymore. Well he might need to, but he wasn't.

While the others were sat battling each other with the help of the wireless internet, Tezuka was bored so he scrolled through his contacts on his Ipads while he sat on the edge of his bed.

He stopped when he got to one name.

He couldn't remember who it was… Matsuda.

He just couldn't put the name to a face.

Oh well. He closed his contacts and started scrolling through the app store. There was load of completely useless things for free. Things that cost too much. Things that were just plain pointless. Things that should be illegal. Things that should really have an age restriction on.

Point made.

"The left flanks, Eiji, the left flanks"

Tezuka just didn't want to know. He was honestly too bored. He had no home work, no tennis… that was pretty much all he did. Tennis and school. Now he had neither. That was both incredibly sad, and frustrating.

"They're coming from behind!"

What?!

"Don't worry our security is tight."

WHAT?!

"We killed them off"

That made more scenes. Maybe it was just tezuka's mind, but that sounded pretty double meaningful. He truly was very bored. That is something that normally wouldn't even cross his mind. He would scold some one for saying that, but he just thought it himself.

He hated boredom.

"There is an opening in their defence! Shoot!"

Boredom.

"Oishi cover me! Nya!"

Nothing to do.

"Burning!"

He couldn't go to sleep, every one else was in his room.

"WHOOOO!" "YEAH, NYA" "BURNING"

He guessed that Fuji's team had won then.

Soon he found the rest of the team flooding through the door and them congratulating the team.

"Guys we should probably get to sleep, we have to be up at 8, and it's already 1 o'clock" said Oishi, being the mother hen he always was.

"Where are people sleeping nya?" asked a very childish Eiji.

Inui pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. "On the couches there is me, Kaidoh, Echizen and Momo, in one bed there is Eiji and Oishi, in the other is Fuji and Tezuka.

Obviously that means kawamura is on the mattress."

Tezuka blinked… And again… And again… WHAT?!

He… was sharing a bed… with Fuji.

_'Something tells me this is planned' _

It being planed was the least of his problems.

As he looked around the room, he noticed many things different from the previous picture.

Oishi was a very, _very,_ dark shade of red. So was Eiji, and Kaidoh, who had quite evidently realised his data friend was playing matchmaking. Last his eyes laid on Fuji. Who had his eyes were wide open and his mouth a gape, glaring at Inui. He did _not _want to be Inui right now. He also didn't want to be _himself_ right now.

Soon good nights were said and the lights were turned off. Tezuka got into the bed before Fuji; they were in tezuka's bed, which was the one on the right side of the room. When he got in he moved across so he was as _close_ to the wall as possible. He felt weight on the bed so apparently Fuji had done the same.

They started of the night as far apart as possible, however as time went by they seemed to grow closer, and closer, until Fuji rolled on his side in his sleep until he was facing Tezuka, who was laid on his back.

Then with no sign of warning what so ever, Fuji laid his hand on Tezuka's chest.

At that moment, the other boys heart beat sky-rocketed.

Tezuka was in for a sleepless night indeed.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer- again disclaimer song, get the web address from the prevrious chapter

Chapter 17- pictures part 1

Fuji had a very good dream that night. He was sat in a meadow with the source of his affection. They were talking and chatting. Holding hands. Hugging.

He was overjoyed. Then Tezuka a started coming closer, and closer, until there lips were merely centimetre apart then…

He woke up.

His dream ended.

And he was brought back into the cruel world of his reality. The reality where he fell in love with the most perfect person. The person who's perfection was unreachable. The person he called captain. The person he was undeniably and unconditionally in love with.

Where was Tezuka anyway?

Wasn't he sleeping in the same bed?

Once he was awake enough he noticed that his captain was gone. Maybe he was just a morning person…

Fuji noticed that no one else was awake so he closed his eyes and rested them. And let his captain float into his mind.

The irony of it all was that Tezuka was the one who filled Fuji's dreams, and Fuji was the one who stopped Tezuka's.

Some where out in the woods was the seigaku captain. Who had gotten out of bed after a restless night.

He had a maximum of four hours sleep.

Would you be able to sleep, if you had an _incredibly_ good looking guy clinging to you in his sleep?

I think not!

So, to avoid the problem he got up as soon as the sun had rose and went for _long_ walk.

By 8 o'clock everyone had gathered in the dining hall for their breakfast.

There was a selection of cereals, toast, bread, and that was about it. Pretty basic breakfast.

"listen up every one," said the female coach, "to day you will be going to the main building for tennis weekly to get interviewed, possibly and probably get your photo taken so where good clothes. It's about a half hour drive, and we will need to be there in an hour, so you have 30 minutes to get ready."

And once they had eaten, that is exactly what they did. They got dressed into _'good' _clothes and waited in the car park for their tennis instructor to drive in.

It was a different bus from last time.

The seats were in sets of two.

Naturally Fuji thought he would sit next to his best friend Eiji, but he was sat with his doubles partner.

Maybe Inui's plan had worked…

But Fuji would still get him, and get him GOOD!

Fuji was so embarrassed the night before. He was sure Inui set it up purely to annoy him… but at least Eiji seemed to get something out of it.

After looking around, he saw a free seat. He sat down with out thinking, or knowing who was sat in the seat next to him for that matter.

He_ really_ should have looked.

He was sat next to his captain, for a 30 minuet bus drive, he couldn't swap seats because the bus was travelling, and not to make things any more awkward; they were forced to share a bed the previous night.

_Nooooo_ tension there.

What a complete and utter lie. The awkwardness was so think it was palatable.

You could feel the bubble of uncomfortable silence.

"Are we… okay?" Fuji forced out, trying to break the soundlessness that surrounded them.

"Ah" Fuji let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding. He honestly didn't know what he would have done hade Tezuka said something different.

"Do you know what we will be doing at this place?" best to start a conversation that had a clear topic.

"No" well that was helpful.

"Do you know who we will be facing in the tournament?" lets try again.

"No one we know" so _very _helpful.

_'What can I talk about? Something we are both interested in…' _"Did Oishi say anything about him and Eiji to you?"

"No, why do you ask?"

"He and Eiji seem to be real close since last night."

There was a thoughtful silence, and then Tezuka replied with an "Inui."

"His plan worked well, they seem to be closer." Fuji honestly hadn't expected the conversation to go down the road of relationships. It didn't seem very Tezuka like. Also he hadn't really thought that Tezuka would know about his friend's love life.

…

…

…

_'Does that mean Tezuka knows Oishi is gay?!'_

That was some what re-assuring to Fuji. If Tezuka knew his friend was gay, and didn't turn away from him, that meant that he had no problems with gay people. That meant that if he found out Fuji was gay he wouldn't find him disgusting, right? Maybe not. Its different knowing your best friend is gay and knowing your friend is gay _for you._

They spent the rest of the ride in a silence; but not an uncomfortable one. It was like how they spent there walks together.

Once they arrived at the building they all got out and were greeted by a cheerful girl who looked like a sectary.

"Follow me" she said smiling happily. They all did as asked.

They arrived at a big room. It was completely white, with the exception of the black camera that was on a white table.

"Ok, I will be taking your photos"

All of the seigaku regulars looked at her with a face that said _'whaaa?'_

"Oh you don't know? Tennis weekly is running an article on the famous seigaku tennis team. We are running interviews, questionnaires, and we are publishing a short photo book."

That would have been good to know_ before_ they agreed to come to the resort/cottage.

"Captain?" they needed to know if they were still doing the photo shoots, it didn't seem like the thing they would do…

"We are already here." Was that a yes?

"Ok, then so if you would just like to pose and have fun and smile and stuff, I will photograph you. In about 5 minuets my colleague will come in to help. With some props" So they were doing the photo shoot. That would be interesting.

The team started posing and goofing off.

Not being the photogenic type Inui and kiado scouted off into the corner for about a minuet, before being dragged back in by the photographer.

Tezuka on the other hand quietly walked off and leaned against a wall away from the commotion.

He thought silently to himself about the upcoming tournament. He could hear the faint clicking of the button from the camera. He could hear Eiji shouting and kiado hissing.

He sifted his weight of the wall so he was independent from the support. He put his hands in his pocket and returned to his thoughts. He was rather bored so he moved his position often.

It was only after 5 minuets he noticed a different woman with the camera, running around him.

He blinked a few times after coming to the conclusion that she had been there a while.

"Wow, you should be a modal, the camera loves you" how was he supposed to respond to that? He wanted to be polite but he didn't like his picture being taken. He decided to stay still until she walked away.

After standing still for a complete minuet and still being photographed he decided to say something.

"Do you have enough pictures yet?" he hoped she got the message.

"Ya…" she looked around "every one, can you grab a racket"

Everyone did as instructed, each grabbing the one that looked most like there own.

"Ok, now I have a couple pictures I need to get, Echizen and Momo" she pointed to the middle of the room and the two mentioned walked over there. "Pose" they did.

Momo wrapped one arm around echizen shoulder, much to his annoyance, while Echizen tucked his racket under his arm and with one hand readjusted his cap. The lady took a few pictures, and then the other ticked something on her clipboard which seemed to magically appear in her arms, no one knew where she got it from.

"ok, now Inui and Kaidoh," there pose was slightly different Kaidoh was crouched down sat in a frog like position, but his hands were not on the floor, while Inui stood behind him pushing up his ever reflecting glasses.

"Eiji and Oishi" Oishi stood smiling while Eiji was up close to the camera making a v with his fingers.

Tezuka noticed that Fuji seemed to be taking photos too. Fuji did always like photography.

"Tezuka and Fuji"

For the life of him, Tezuka could not pose for a picture, nor did he want to.

The team seemed to be incredibly interested in what this photo would look like as they all stopped there conversations to look at him. Tezuka sighed; there was no way he could get out of this.

He walked into the centre of the room with Fuji following behind. He tucked the racket under his arm and put his hands in his pocket. Fuji who stood closely to his left lifted his racket behind his head and held it with one hand at each end, smiling widely like always. Tezuka tried to smile, and a small smile escaped onto his face.

After that the women took photos of each player individually.

After the photos were done, they were all walked into a room with a long bench, which they all sat on listening to the women.

"Ok, so we will be asking you questions, you just need to answer them"

"Who is the strongest member of the team?"

"Kawamura" everyone but him answer in unison.

"Who is the most flexible?"

"Me! Nya" answered Eiji

"Who is the weirdest?"

**_*flashback*_**

_"This is my new Inui juice drink supreme" in his hand Inui held a green pitcher of bubbleling mass, which may or may not be considered a liquid._

**_*end of flashback*_**

"Inui!" Inui chuckled. Was he happy about that?

"Who is the scariest?"

She received no verbal answer but everyone looked to Kaidoh, who just hissed. Did she really need to ask that?

"Who is the handsomest?"

Everyone went into a strangely loud silence, each seriously thinking about the question, until Inui broke that loud silence "probably Fuji or Tezuka, but they would disagree" he was right. In Fuji's opinion Tezuka was defiantly better looking, and in Tezuka's it was defiantly Fuji.

"Who eats the most?"

"Momo and Echizen" again in unison.

"Who is the smartest?"

Everyone just turned to Inui in wait for the answer, because he defiantly had the answer.

"Fuji for Japanese, Echizen for English, me for science and math, and Tezuka for German and everything else." That sounded about right but after realising his mistake Inui said "and Eiji for social studies"

"Who is the most likely to get a girlfriend?" time stood still. Each knowing that they would never get a girlfriend because of '_reasons' _while thinking all the others were straight, when in fact they had the same _'reasons'_.

"No answer… ok, which are most likely to get together?"

"WHAT?!" for the third time that day they spoke in unison. Each equally angry, embarrassed and nervous about that question.

"Who is most likely to get together?"

Inui being Inui, decided to have some fun with numbers "there is a 72.8% chance that Oishi and Eiji will get together, and a 64.29% chance of Tezuka and Fuji getting together"

After a very strange interview, photo shoot and receiving the free rackets they used for photos, the regulars headed out side to wait for the bus which was supposed to pick them up.

There was a vibration in Tezuka's coat pocket, once he noticed he pulled out his phone.

"Moshi moshi"

"There has been a problem with the bus, I wont be able to pick up the team for another hour" he recognised the voice as that of his coach.

"Ok"

"Stay in that area until I get there"

"Ah

"Bye"

"Bye" he tapped the button to end the call.

"Who was that Tezuka?" asked Oishi.

"Coach. She can't pick us up for an hour"

"What will we do till then? Nya" asked a pouting Eiji.

"We are at a tennis magazine building, they might have courts" said an ever cocky Echizen.

That was a good idea though, they hadn't played tennis since they got there, and it was supposed to be a training holiday.

Everyone agreed, so they went in search of a tennis court. After five minuets of walking they found one.

It was already 6 o'clock so it was starting to get dark, but it was hardly noticeable.

They walked out on the court, upon finding no one was there, they began to warm up.

Once they were warm, they each did there own training, with the exception of Tezuka who stood by and made sure everyone was doing what they should be.

The training was going well until…

"Tezuka!"

Every one looked around, trying to find the source of the sound.

**_*Flash back*_**

_Tezuka was bored so he scrolled through his contacts on his Ipads while he sat on the edge of his bed._

_He stopped when he got to one name._

_He couldn't remember who it was… Matsuda._

He just couldn't put the name to a face.

**_*end of flashback*_**

"Matsuda" Tezuka ground out.

"Oh, you're not happy to see me?"

The members of seigaku all looked confused as they gather round Tezuka who was looking over at Matsuda. He walked over slowly until he was on the other side of the net. He held up his racket, pointed toward Tezuka.

"Want a game?"

"No"

He pretended to look hurt, "why not?!"

"I don't associate with people like you"

Everyone tried to make sense of it all in there heads, but failed to come to a conclusion. It was all a mystery that far.

"People like me?"

"People like you."

"So you won't play a match against me then? What a shame. What about your little followers?"

"Not my team mates either."

"What about him? He looks strong." He said pointed towards Kawamura, who was racket less so he didn't respond with the BURNING passion that matsuda wanted.

"No thanks" he said timidly.

"Ya know, are you sure Tezuka? I have got stronger than last time" he played with the notes of the last word so they sounded like he sang.

"I will not play"

"What about him?" he pointed to Fuji.

"Especially not him"

_'What are they talking about? Why can't I play a match against him?' _thought Fuji

"Why not Tezuka?" he asked his captain.

"Yeh, why not Tezuka?" teased matsuda.

Tezuka took a deep breath, then turned to Fuji, "you can verse him if you want, but I recommend against it" he stepped closer to Fuji so he was looking directly at him, "don't use higuma otoshi" he said it just loud enough for Fuji to hear.

He redirected his gaze to his team, "I will be in the car park".

Then he walked out silently, leaving his team in a daze.

"What a captain he turned out to be," said Matsuda under his breath.

The team glared at the mysterious man in defence of there captain. "I thought he was supposed to be strong,"

Fuji was about to lose it, this man came onto the court, drove Tezuka out, and then had the nerve to insult him once he was gone.

"Oh well, so how about a match?" he challenged.

"Sure" Fuji was going to crush him, for Tezuka.

Fifteen minuets into the game, Fuji was winning two games to one. He had not needed to use the triple counters.

"Well I guess I should play seriously then" Matsuda boasted.

Suddenly the ball grew heavy and Fuji could not support his racket.

The score changed to Matsuda favour from that point on

2-2

2-3

2-4

3-4

3-5

Fuji was shocked, he didn't know how he had lost the points, when the game began Matsuda was much less stronger, at this rate, Fuji would lose.

He couldn't lose what would Tezuka think? He warned him not to play that man, but Fuji ignored him_. 'I must win'_

He decided to start to use his triple counters. Fuji purposely lobed the ball.

Matsuda chuckled, and smashed it.

Fuji hit higuma otoshi and the ball landed on the other side of the court, dead on the line.

"Aaaahha" suddenly a shooting pain shot down Fuji arm; he lurched forward in pain, hitting his racket against his shoulder.

"You. Were. Clowned." Was all Matsuda said before walking off?

"Get bac- ahhar" the pain spread through his arm when he tried to move it or flex it.

Soon all the members were at Fuji's aid, helping him up from the floor. "Does anyone know how to help him?"

"Oishi? You want to be a doctor; do you know how to help him?"

Oishi shook his head. "Let's get him back to the building, someone might know there"

After reaching the building they asked for any help, but could find none.

Once they realised they would find no help they went to the car park to see if the coach had arrived yet, and if she could help. All the while Fuji was in excruciating pain.

"Tezuka!" yelled Oishi.

Tezuka turned to see a group of boy running towards him, Fuji following behind, looking frail and pained.

"What happened?" he asked calmly though on the inside he was panicking, he knew what that man could do…

"Fuji, it's his arm" Tezuka stilled.

Fuji used higuma otoshi, even though he told him not to.

Once Fuji arrived he looked at Tezuka, who had a mix of worry, sadness, and disappointment in his eyes.

"You got clowned"


	6. Chapter 6

disclaimer song- no im being serious i actualy made a disclaimer song www. youtube watch?v = IpEndICAPjE just take out the spaces and it links you to it.

"What happened?" asked Tezuka.

Everyone fell silent. Tezuka looked at Fuji, both disappointment and worry present in his eyes.

"Show me your palm"

Fuji did as he was told. He held out his palm, Tezuka inspected it.

It was small and pale for the most part, but where his thumb joined his hand there was a small purple mark. Tezuka extended his hand and enclosed Fuji's within his, pressing the smaller boys thumb to his last finger. Fuji made no movement. Once he removed his hand he felt Fuji wince in pain.

He sighed silently, "I know how to treat it, but we will have to wait until we return to the cottage,"

Everyone let out a breath in relief; at least Fuji would be ok. "You will still be in pain until then"

"Is there no way to stop it?" asked a very worried Oishi, but when wasn't he worried.

"There is, but it doesn't always work, and once it stops it will hurt more"

"But couldn't you stop it once we get back, if you stop the pain until then…" said a red headed friend of Fuji, obviously wanting the best for his friend.

Everyone looked at Fuji to see what he had to say, "Im fine, rea-aaaahhhar" pain shot down his arm mid speech.

There was a silence once Fuji stopped crying out in pain, it was a heavy silence, filled with worry, caring and compassion.

Tezuka grabbed Fuji's hand, he weaved there fingers together, putting a lot of pressure on the back of Fuji's hand.

"aaahhhh- … wow, it works" said a bewildered Fuji, who then blushed a slight pink upon realising that Tezuka was holding his hand.

No one noticed because at the same time a bus pulled up beside them, and a woman opened the door. For a brief second the coach flashed a questioning look towards Fuji, who just ignored her.

Once they all piled in the bus, they all began there own conversations.

Fuji looked up at Tezuka hesitantly but Tezuka's head was turned, he started wondering what Tezuka was thinking, and if he was mad at him.

"Im sorry," Fuji said quietly, "you warned me not to play…"

"It's not your fault" was Tezukas simple reply, still not looking in Fuji's direction.

Fuji smiled, he was happy that Tezuka didn't blame him. He averted his eyes to there intertwined hands. He blushed once more, he pondered on why Tezuka would help him for a while, but Tezuka would always help someone on there team, Fuji was no exception to that rule.

"Who was he?"

Tezuka remained soundless for a moment before turning to Fuji, "someone I used to know"

That much was pretty much already known.

"Why don't you like him?"

Tezuka gave him a sceptical look then squeezed his hand. Did Fuji really need to ask that?

"He's done it before?"

"Ah"

Fuji now knew why Tezuka didn't want him to play the team. He regretted not listening to Tezuka, not taking his advice. He didn't know back then just how seriously cruel Matsuda was.

They spent the rest of the journey back in silence, both thinking to themselves.

Once they got of, everyone went to there rooms. They all insisted on making sure Fuji was alright but he refused and went to his room.

Tezuka and Fuji walked over to the couches. Fuji was curious as to just how Tezuka was going to help him.

Slowly Tezuka realised his hold on the smaller boy's hand, and a familiar pain returned to Fuji's arm. He hissed as he was slowly tortured by his own body.

"I have to put a lot of pressure on your wrist when I do this, ok?" that was his warning. Fuji knew it would hurt. A lot. So he braced himself.

Tezuka took the injured arm and placed one of his hands on the back of Fuji's, and then slowly he pressed with two fingers into the palm of Fuji's hand bending his wrist backwards slightly.

Fuji's eyes shot open when he felt a beam of excruciating pain wave through his hand. His mouth fell open to let out a pained scream but the volume died quickly when he felt soft lips covering his own.

He body fell limp and his face bright red. His heart beat speed up ten fold. The pain forgotten about

He soon felt himself relax, but before he could respond to the kiss Tezuka backed off, it was only _then_ he noticed the pain in his arm was gone.

His face returned to his normal colour, "why-"

"It would worry the others if you screamed…" said his captain, uncharacteristically flustered, looking down to the floor.

_'Yes…that's the only reason Tezuka did that'_

Fuji let his heart collapse, the same kiss that made his heart melt, shortly after made it freeze over. Fuji was deeply saddened by that but didn't let it show. He flexed his arm, and found no pain in the movement.

He heard the door open, when he looked in that direction he saw all the regulars.

"Tezuka, I think you should tell us who that guy was."

Everyone sat down at the sofas once again, to learn about the great Matsuda, which they all wanted to no about greatly.

"He is a tennis player who doesn't play until the end; he lacks stamina, so often chooses default as the best way of winning." That seemed about right. That's how he won against Fuji, by injuring him. "His signature move is the clown." Stated Tezuka.

**_*Flashback*_**

_"You. Were. Clowned."_

**_*end of flashback*_**

Everyone wanted to continue, Tezuka obliged. "first he hits a powerful ball, causing the other to tighten his grip, then a smash which has minimal spin, so it stops on contact with the racket, the player is forced to quickly change his grip, but the impact from the smash pushes the racket into the palm of the other players hand, it usually causes a small bruise."

"But how dose that cause so much pain?" asked a confused Momo.

"The racket has a grip on, so the skin isn't pierced, but when you volley a smash your racket presses into a part of your hand were nerves overlap. A smash with a spin moves the racket when you counter, so it doesn't hurt, but when the pressure of your racket is pushed into the nerves temporarily move the tissue around that area, putting pressure on the nerves. This is the case for smashes with minimal spin."

"What does that mean?" asked a puzzled Eiji who obviously didn't understand a word of that.

Inui who did, spoke up, "he moves the tissue in your hand around the things that cause pain. So when you grabbed Fuji's hand…"

**_*flashback*_**

_Tezuka grabbed Fuji's hand, he weaved there fingers together, putting a lot of pressure on the back of Fuji's hand._

**_*end of flashback*_**

"I put pressure on, which pushed the tissue back into place" Tezuka finished.

There was a minuet of silence where everyone took in the information. It was hard to believe, but so was the logic behind every interesting tennis move. "How do you know him?" asked Oishi.

"I played against him in street tennis"

"And he…" kawamura trailed off.

"Ah"

"How do you know all about it?"

"I met someone who was in his tennis team, she told me, and healed my arm"

"She?"

"It is a mixed gender tennis club." That made sense, but was rare.

"Do you know why he is here?" asked inui

"No"

"Why do you_ think_ he is here?" asked Kaidoh

"Tennis tournament"

"Would he be allowed to use a move like that in a tournament?" a shocked Eiji asked.

"It isn't illegal; no one can prove he does it on purpose"

So he can't be proven, "why is it called the clown?"

"When a clown juggles the balls spin in the air, but not when they hold them," just like in his tennis.

There was a loud knocking on the door and everyone looked in that direction. They were surprised when a girl opened the door a pracicaly shouted "Tezuka! Are you ok? Matsuda said he saw you?" she continued down those lines, while everyone looked incredibly confused.

"Im fine" the girl stopped shouting, then blushed red once she realised she burst into a room full of people.

"im _soooooo _sorry, I hope I didn't interrupt anything!"

"Why are you here?"

"I came to help, because Matsuda said he clowned someone, the whole tennis team heard"

Now everyone knew who she was. She was obviously the person who told Tezuka about the clown and healed him, the one from the same team as Matsuda.

"It's fine now"

"Oh…" she remained very red, quite evidently not knowing what to do.

"Come in…" said a very conflicted Tezuka, he really didn't want to risk what might happen if she was brought in, but it would be rude to not let her in.

!

She sat on the arm of the couch next to Tezuka, much to the surprise of both the team and Tezuka himself.

"Well it's good that its ok, im sorry that he hurt you" she said smiling at Fuji sadly.

This girl was not usual, to say the least. She had long straight black hair that reached her hips, a very pale face and lips, but very dark, black eyes with long eye lashes. Her body was thin, and her chest wasn't really developed much. Her legs were also small so she was very short. Not the average look… but it looked strangle cool.

"Saa… it wasn't your fault anyway" said Fuji trying to comfort the girl he had just been introduced to.

Because it was starting to get late everyone went back to their own rooms, saying good bye to their friends, so there was only Fuji, Tezuka and their guest left.

The girl asked "hey, Tezuka. Can I ask you something?" he nodded, "Can you sing?"

He blinked at the random question.

"Ah…" he answered hesitantly.

"Well remember that favour you owe me?"

**_*flashback*_**

_"Thank you for healing my arm" he said flexing his newly healed arm._

_"Yeah, you owe me one" that was rather… strange._

_"Hey, Tezuka. Can I ask you something?" he nodded, "are you gay?"_

_He blinked at the strange and random question, more so about how accurate it was. How did she know? "Don't worry for the wrong reaction, im not straight either"_

_Either? Was she asking him or telling him that he was gay?_

_"Ah"_

_"Do people know?"_

_"No"_

_"Oh, well I won't tell anyone, but you owe me one for sure now!"_

**_*end of flashback*_**

"Ah"

"Well I need someone to sing for recording my band made for my music project, because our singer quit, and we need it for next week."

Fuji looked at Tezuka, thinking. He had never heard his captain sing, he wondered if he was good or not.

"No"

The girl looked sad, "come on! Every guy sings who's g-"

"Fine" Tezuka interrupted her, not wanting her to finish that sentence when they had an audience. Also quite annoyed at the stereotypical point of view she had.

Fuji smiled to himself as he pictured his captain singing while he pretended to read a book on his bed. From the corner of his eye he caught glimpse of the girl handing Tezuka a sheet of paper.

"Did you plan this?" Tezuka asked. The girl gave no verbal response but just tapped her nose. After a while Tezuka spoke up, "this is a duet."

"And?"

Wasn't it common knowledge that a duet is song by two people? How was he expected to sing it by himself?

"Oh… well… Fuji can you sing?" she started hesitant, but grew confidant by the point she asked the question.

Tezuka looked at Fuji and gave him a look that said 'say no or you will be running 100 laps'

And if Fuji wasn't Fuji he would have been scared by that look, but Fuji_was _Fuji, so he wasn't, and being Fuji, also meant he was a sadist, so he replied with a simple "yes"

"Well, Fuji can sing the other half."

!

Some how, they were dragged out side, at half seven at night, into a van, which was equip with sound proof walls, and high-tech recording equipment. They guessed that this belonged to her band

She had _very_ obviously planned this.

There were three beeps then the music started to play

Fuji: I thought I heard your voice when I turned around, what I see is the blue sky

Tezuka:

If there are still things left to be done Perhaps this too, is one of them

Fuji:

The two of us still have the childlike innocence of that day

Tezuka: It's still not too late to begin

Both:

Shall we?

Fuji:

On that day…

Both:

We met by chance here and we both realized that the door to a new world has opened and here, we meet again

Fuji:

You probably cannot imagine what your gentleness has left for me

Tezuka:

We are searching in each other the thing that will fill our emptiness

Fuji: Now, if you desire it I will show you the real me

Tezuka:

I won't hide anything anymore

both: Well, shall we?

Fuji: Someday... The memories of the tears shed here

tezuka: The words we exchanged here on that day

both: The feelings we both harbor

Fuji: Even if the present is an illusion on that day…

both: We met by chance here and we both realized that the door to a new world has opened

And here we meet again

They both were incredibly shocked as to how relevant those lyrics were to them, it was like someone had written about them…

"Thanks, you guys… oh! Look at the time, I best be getting off back to the cottage, well goodbye" and with that, the girl quickly hurried them out of the van and hastily

"Saa… what a strange girl"

"Ah"


	7. Chapter 7

disclaimer song- no im being serious i actualy made a disclaimer song www. youtube watch?v = IpEndICAPjE just take out the spaces and it links you to it. its basicly e saying how I don't own prince of tennis.

**Key:**

Normal text

"Speech"

_"Emphasised speech"_

_Thoughts_

**_Evil part of his mind_**

* * *

Tezuka and Fuji were stood at the top of a hill in a bored silence as they waited for the rest of there team to get to the top of the landscape.

**_*flashback*_**

_"ok, we are doing circuit training because we have no courts, you run to the bottom of the hill, do an activity, run back up, and so on, I will see you at the bottom" said the coach, before she went in her car to drive to her destination._

_Tezuka was staying at the top to supervise the regulars, whilst the coach took the bottom of the hill._

_Fuji wasn't allowed to train because of his injury, which was bandaged up neatly, curtseys of Tezuka._

**_*end of flashback*_**

Somewhere between the highest and lowest points on the landscape, were the other regulars.

"OY, Echizen!" yelled Momo, motioning for him to come towards him. Echizen did as told, silently. "Well you know how we are all boys," Echizen nodded, he might be dense but he defiantly knew that much. "Well who do you think is bigger?"

_What? Bigger? What the hell is he talking about?_

After noticing the slightly confused look on the smaller boy he said. "You know…_ bigger"_

_Bigger?_

"_Bigger_, as in down there"

_Down where?_

"Downstairs"

_WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!_ Thought a very annoyed Echizen.

Momo sighed, "Inui, so who you think is bigger? As in _bigger"_

"I don't have that type of data"

It would be freaky if he did. "Who do you _think_?"

"Id rather not answer that" would you answer that? Of cores not! Especially if you were gay!

"Well, it's been bugging me for ages" Momo chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

"Why don't you check, there is public showers, get everyone in and _compare_" Inui suggested, only half serious about it, not expecting Momo to agree to do it…

"Good idea! Thanks Inui"

Momo is stupid.

Echizen was just completely puzzled; he had no idea what they were talking about. Showers? Wait! They weren't talking about…

* * *

After training Momo started to put his plan into action.

"Hey, we should all go in the shower tonight" he suggested at the dinner table while they ate.

"What a great idea" agreed an unknowing Oishi?

Everyone else agreed except Fuji and Tezuka who were both in a strange situation. Neither wanted to go in the shower, but didn't want to show it.

"I showered this morning" was Tezukas brilliant excuse, no one knew he didn't because he and Fuji had an on suit so they couldn't tell, and when they were in the public showers he would just use that.

"It's not about getting clean, it's about team bonding and fun" Tezuka nearly chocked on his food at the word 'bonding'. In his mind a group of naked men bonding was a_ little_ different. It seemed more like the thing strait men would do to bond, and Tezuka was as straight as a rainbow.

After feeling relived that Tezuka wouldn't be there Fuji said, "Saa, sounds like fun"

And that comment was what confirmed that Tezuka was most defiantly not going in the team shower.

But Momo was determined, and desperate, he looked to Inui, whose glasses glinted evilly. "Tezuka would you like to try some aozu?"

Tezuka hated Inui at that moment, so did Fuji.

"So are you coming in the shower with us?" asked Momo, evilness present in his voice.

At that moment Tezukas phone rang, he looked down so see the caller id. He asked his coach if he could be excused.

He walked out the door and down the hall slightly, but the team could still here the conversation faintly.

* * *

He flipped open his phone **"**moshi moshi**"**

"Hey, Tezuka. Can I ask you a question?" he recognised the voice as Sakura's, the girl from the previous day.

**"**Ah"

"Do you know how to dance?"

**"**…ah**" **he replied hesitantly.

"Can you teach me?" Tezuka on any other day would have refused to do such a thing, but he needed an excuse not to go in the shower.

* * *

Inside the dinner hall everyone was silent. Listening to what they could here of the conversation.

"Moshi moshi

…

Ah

…

Ah

…

Tonight?

…

You come here

…

Bye"

And that left them all wondering. Not long after the person who was having the conversation returned to the room and sat down.

"So?"

"I can't"

"Why not?" asked a very surprised everyone, because Tezuka was just threatened with aozu and he still stood his ground.

Tezuka thought about his answer for a while trying to make it sound believable, "Sakura" was all he could come up with, but everyone looked towards him saying with there eyes to continue. "She wants to learn how to dance"

"And you know?" said a flabbergasted Eiji.

"Ah"

After that the table dissolved into silence.

* * *

Everyone returned to there rooms.

Fuji was glad that Tezuka wasn't going in the shower, and was also surprised Tezuka knew how to dance. He had always pictured Tezuka as a wall flower at a party.

Well it was obvious that he was talking about proper dancing, like the waltz and stuff that Fuji didn't care about. He didn't know them himself, and didn't really want need to.

When he thought about it, if it was dancing like that, that's the kind of dancing you do with your boyfriend…

Would that mean he would have to learn the girl parts…?

That would be weird; he thought about it, imagining learning to dance, would his teacher be a guy? Would he be gay?

It was all pretty strange. Maybe he should ask Tezuka to teach him.

Whilst he was in his bubble of thought, he had gathered his towel and soaps to go to the shower with.

"I didn't know you knew how to dance?"

"Ah" Tezuka glanced towards him, but not moving his head from the position it was previously in, which was reading a book.

"Would you teach me?" he was joking, Tezuka would never except to teach him, but that didn't stop the hidden hope he had at the very back of his mind.

"If you want" still not looking up from his book.

Azure eyes flashed open for half a second as Fuji stood in shock.

* * *

Fuji's heart beat double time as he looked at Tezuka, who was now stood in front of grabbed Fuji's left hand and lifted it to shoulder height holding it lightly. Fuji blushed slightly, but Tezuka didn't notice. Tezuka stepped forward and placed his free hand on Fuji's right shoulder blade, Fuji lifted his hand hesitantly and placed it on tezuka's shoulder his fingers at the seem of his sleeve. They both stood perfectly straight, Fuji slightly to Tezuka's right a decent space between them, big enough to not mean anything, but close enough to suggests something.

"Step back with your right foot… now, slide your other foot beside it… then with the same foot step to the side" Tezukas voice sounded over the ipad playing dream Cather slow waltz music.

Fuji understood what to do _somewhat, _but he was mainly only able to do it because Tezuka was leading. If he was told before hand he would probably have forgotten though, every thing seemed to enter his head through one ear and out the next. He couldn't think a sane though that wasn't about his new dance partner.

His face seemed to stay a slightly pink colour from that point on

* * *

**_Tezukas mind_**

_He looks like an angel_

**_A sexy angel_**

_Shut up_

**_But you don't disagree_**

_Well…_

**_Then do something about it! Get your act together! Are you a man or a mouse!_**

_Im his captain it would be unprofessional _

**_You're a teenage boy too…_**

_Im his captain!_

**_He could be your Tensai too…_**

* * *

Fuji looked at Tezuka, who seemed to be deep in thought; he glanced at his feet, to make sure he was doing the right thing.

"Are you sure you haven't done this before?"

"Saa, Tezuka, you don't trust me…"

"Your to good to be a beginner" said a sceptical Tezuka, Fuji blushed at the complement, because even if he was good, he was still a beginner.

"Then teach me something harder" Fuji challenged, trying to not let Tezuka see his blush.

"Ok, Viennese waltz?" Tezuka said as he let go of Fuji and walked over to the Ipad. Fuji missed the warmth of Tezukas hands, but did nothing to voice that. He didn't know what the veinesse waltz was.

Tezuka tapped the screen a few times in different places. The music changed to a faster, quicker tempo.

Tezuka returned, he grabbed Fuji's hand and did the same as last time, but once his hands were both placed he stepped forward so they were chest to chest. Fuji's heart sped up once again at the close contact. They did the same thing as last time to start with, but Fuji found himself turning left, he was about to try not to when…

"Don't worry, your supposed to turn" Fuji was relived at that. "Now we are going to do a reverse turn…put your right foot back… keep turning left, left foot side using the ball only… bring your feet together, but keep your body turning" some how Fuji managed to keep up with that, but he wasn't even thinking about the steps themselves, he was thinking about the person doing the steps to accompany them." forwards with your left foot, on your heel…to the side with your left foot using only your toe… "He spoke slowly and guided Fuji "crosses your left foot in front of your right foot… and start again"

After doing that turn about three times, Fuji found it easy.

"This is too easy…"

"There aren't many harder dances."

"What is harder?"

* * *

**_Tezukas mind_**

**_Argentine tango Argentine tango Argentine tango! Say it!_**

_No_

**_Say it!_**

_No_

**_Say! It!_**

_No_

**_He wants to do a hard dance, and the fox trot isn't exactly hard to do, say it! _**

_No_

**_Say it!_**

* * *

"What about the tango? The tangos difficult right?" inquired Fuji.

"Ah" said tezuka

"Well?"

"There are too different types."

"Then let's do the hardest, ne?"

* * *

**_Tezukas mind_**

**_HA! _**

NO!

0000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000 00000000000

Tezuka again let go to turn of the music.

"I'l show you how to do it without the music first" then he held Fuji yet again. This time he held Fuji's hand slightly lower that shoulder height, and wrapped his arm so it was holding Fuji against him. Fuji, to no surprise, blushed at this. He noted that he had been blushing a lot that night and it was not like he usually acted.

"Step forward with your left foot…" Tezuka did the same with his right, "step to the side with your free foot" Tezuka did the same, "step back with left then right" Tezuka did the opposite, stepping around Fuji's leg for the first then normally again. "Cross your legs so the left is in front of the right" Tezuka simple brought his foot to just behind his other.

This is where things got difficult. "Uncross your feet" Tezuka twisted Fuji so that he was facing sideways to allow him to move his feet. "Step forwards with your right foot, then around me with your left… now step backwards with your right foot… then forwards with your left"

Fuji did told, the moves making him turn round Tezuka, who was turning on the spot in holding Fuji. He couldn't help but feel embarrassed by doing that, he started to regret saying the tango.

But he couldn't turn back there.

* * *

**_Tezukas mind _**

**_God he's a good dancer_**

_Ah_

**_I wonder if he would dance round a pole…_**

_WHAT! NO WAY!_

**_You'd want to see it!_**

_THAT DOSENT MEAN I WOULD ASK HIM TO DO IT!_

**_But you would still watch it!_**

_It would never happen anyway!_

**_…_**

**_…_**

**_Do something! Kiss him! Hug him! DO SOMETHING!_**

* * *

Fuji looked up at Tezuka in-between steps wondering what he was thinking about.

He was trying his best not to do anything that he would regret, but he couldn't help himself. With the close position and the contact Fuji wasn't thinking straight. He unwrapped his hand from Tezukas hand and placed it on his neck, sliding his other hand upwards, they using them both to pull Tezuka down and placing his lips on his own.

Tezuka spent a millisecond in shock before responding to the kiss with equal passion. There lips colliding in fast patterns, changing shape constantly. Tezuka grabbed Fuji by the hips, pulling him as close as he could get, whilst Fuji was pulling him down to his own level with one hand, he used the other to get a hold of Tezukas hair.

Tezuka licked Fuji's bottom lip for entrance to his mouth. To which Fuji gladly granted. There tongues met in the middle and began to engage in an epic battle for doman-

"Fuji are you read-…" Eiji looked blankly at them before turning red. "Oishi! Oishi! Oishi!"

Tezuka and Fuji both darted apart then Fuji stuttered "er, am, ano, ah, im ah, Eiji lets go!" then ran out the room, face bright red, dragging Eiji by the collar. "Nya, Fuji that hurts"

Soon after Oishi ran in the room panicked and obviously worrying. But he couldn't say anything because Tezukas phone quickly rang.

Tezuka unlocked his phone and read aloud "sorry, cant make it, practice is running late, can we re schedule for some other time? Tell your friend thanks for the other night, take care, Sakura"

He instantly regretted saying that, as Inui emerged from behind Oishi, much to Oishi's surprise, and spoke the words, "so you will be joining us in the shower after all." and his glasses were fully illuminated by the sun to give extra emphasis on the evilness.

* * *

Tezuka really had no choice but to go in. even though it was worse now than ever. But to save his pride he kept his act together and went in.

* * *

In the corner of the shower room were two very red boys.

"Its not what it looks like!"

"Fuji! Of cores it is! Why didn't you tell me you were dating Tezuka sooner!? Your mean!" pouted Eiji

"I wish" said Fuji sadly, "I don't even know what happened myself, one minuet we were dancing and then I was stupid and kissed him. He will never talk to me again!"

Eiji was torn. He wanted to comfort his friend, but also wanted so badly to laugh. "Fuji, you didn't just kiss him, he was kissing you back!... WAIT! Dancing? What dancing? Why were you dancing? Nya! Tell me every thing!"

"Well, I was thinking that I don't really no how to dance, and that I would have to learn sometime, so I asked Tezuka, but I was only joking. But then he said yes, and I was really happy. Then when I did dance it was easy, so we did a more difficult one, but we were closer and I blushed, but I don't think he noticed, then I wanted to learn something difficult so I asked to do the tango, and when you do the tango your really close, and, and I don't know!" Fuji sank further into the water so only his eyes and above was above the surface.

"Fuji! Why aren't you happy? You just had a make out session with our captain!" argued Eiji angrily.

Fuji turned red at the comment. He wanted to be happy, but he was too worried. What if Tezuka didn't like him back?

"Fuji! He was sucking the face off of you! Of cores he likes you!"

"Sucking the face of you?" questioned Echizen. Who had somehow managed to get next to them without them finding out.

"Ochibi! If you kiss someone and they kiss back doesn't that mean they like you? Nya" asked Eiji.

"Depends who it is"

"What if it was and im just saying, if, Tezuka and Fuji"

"Eiji!" yelled Fuji.

Eiji ignored Fuji and looked at the smaller boy for his answer "defiantly. It took you this long to kiss him? Mada mada dane Fuji"

Fuji was happy, annoyed and surprised at echizen answer.

"Saa… I hope your right…"

At the other end of the bathing room were the remaining regulars. They all got in and began talking.

And whilst they were unaware Momo was sending glances in all directions, trying to find out who was _biggest._

Oishi knew something had happened, and wanted to help.

"Everyone lets go and try out the showers" Eiji and Echizen began travelling over as everyone got out going to the showers. Oishi nudged Tezuka then got out.

Taking the hint, Tezuka went over to Fuji. Who was bright red?

"Can I talk to you?" Tezuka asked

"Yeah…"

"About what happened…" he trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"You can't even say it aloud?"

"Its n-"

"Come on, say it, or are you to ashamed too?" Fuji could feel the tears welling up in his eyes.

"Fuji, I w-"

"Spare me the speech! It was just an accident right?"

"Fuji-"

"It was just a mistake; don't worry it wont happen again!" Fuji felt a lone tear fall down his cheek.

Tezuka lifted his hand to rub the tear away but Fuji pushed his hand down. "Fuji, please just li-"

"I don't want your apologies'! Were just friends nothing more, you don't need to say anything" Fuji began to get away.

"Fuji, where are you going?" asked Eiji, clueless about the even that just took place.

"Out"

"Why it is everyone wants me to talk, but when I try to speak I never can" said Tezuka as he leaned back against the edge of the public bath deflaited.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer- I do not, nor will I ever, own tenipuri, tenimyu, prince of tennis, or tennis no ouji Sama.

**WARNING! IN SOME PARTS OF THIS CHAPTER THERE IS LANGUAGE USED THAT MAY OFFEND SOME PEOPLE. NOT FOR LITTLE EYES –or ears if this is being read to you-. (don't blame me! It was matsuda!)**

It was 3 days through the trip to tennis weekly lodge, and there was only 2 days left until the tournament began, and there were still problems within Seigaku. Whilst it would seem normal to the average on lookers, there was a large blip in the usual team.

Fuji and Tezuka were still not talking to each other. The team had tried many times to remedy this, but all attempts turned up fruitless. They had tried pairing them up for training, everyone else mysteriously disappearing leaving them alone, even physically pushing them together. But they all ended up the same; making things worse, and getting them all laps.

But this time, they were sure, wouldn't turn over the same result. Whether or not it would get them laps…

Eiji was sat on the sofa in Fuji's room, next to the tensai; they were both flipping magazines and drinking ponta. It seemed that tennis weekly had done a magazine on Hyotei too. Fuji learned quite a lot. He had no idea that Oshitari and Makahi were dubbed the dirty pair, he did wonder why. He also learned that the silver pair was a bit more than doubles partners, which did amuse him quite a bit. It didn't surprise him that the reporters managed to get that kind of info. Out of them, because they were brutal.

Little did the prodigy know that he was part of a much bigger scheme, and that his best friend and his doubles partner were in on it.

* * *

Oishi was sat at the dining hall, opposite his captain, looking at the clock. It was time. "Ahh, Tezuka, did you say that you packed extra tape? I lent mine to Eiji, an I think he has lost it. Could I borrow yours?" he asked hesitantly.

_'That boy will be your undoing my friend.'_ "Why don't you ask him if he _has_ lost it first?" he relied

Oishi didn't expect Tezuka to ask questions, but it seemed that he was being unusually talkative today. "Ano… well, you see, it's just something happened, and I think he might be avoiding me…" It wasn't quite a lie. In fact, since the sleepover Eiji seemed to be very quiet, and only talked to him when Inui got the team together to plot against the top 2 players, and even then he seemed to avoid eye contact. So he wasn't lying, because that would be a setting bad example.

_'Inuis' plan seemed to have worked,'_ "ok then"

* * *

Eiji looked at the clock, it was time. "I'm just going to the toilet, be back soon, Fuji" he said waving his hand. The fact that Fuji had an on-suit was crucial. Once he got through the door he waited a while. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHAHHHHAHHHHHH" he screamed loudly, he was a good actor, and he was really dramatic. "AHHH. THERES A SPIDER!IT'S REALY BIG!"

Yes that should do it. Wait, he needed more noise…He looked around… BINGO. There was a shelf full of toiletries, shampoo, shower gel, soap, and the normal. And with one quick movement he pushed them all on the floor. Then he sat down like he had fallen over. Fuji quickly ran into the bathroom, just in time to see Eiji clamber up of the floor and run out the door screaming and slamming it behind him.

He looked around, I each corner. That's where they hide usually, isn't it. Then he looked around the bit where the walls and the ceiling meet, but still no spider. "saa…" he sighed, typical Eiji. It probably was just a money spider anyway, but he continued to search for the creature. He looked in the sink, the shower, behind the toilet, almost everywhere imaginable. After searching for five minuets, he decided that Eiji must've seen a shadow or something, so went to leave. He pulled the door handle down, walking forward.

"Ouch!" he said to him self as he rubbed his head. He'd walked into the door. Why wasn't the door opening? He kept a hold on the handle and rattled the door, but it wouldn't move. He thought about yelling for help, but Eiji would be at the other side of the earth by now, and he wouldn't like to be found trapped in a bathroom, because _that_ would be humiliating. No. he would just wait until someone opened the door.

* * *

"Thanks for this, Tezuka…ah!"Said Oishi as Eiji ran past, screaming. Good. That meant the timing was right, and this should all go as planned, earning them a minimal number of laps. "I wonder what all of that was about."

"Ah" yes, that was Tezuka back to his normal self, and Oishi was glad. That meant that on the short walk to Tezuka room, they wouldn't have to talk. Because something would go wrong, Oishi was an awful liar. His chair scraped across the wooded floorboards as they got up to go to the captains' room.

"So, are you talking to Fuji yet?"

"No."

_'Well that's about to change, quite soon' _"oh. Well, we're here, now, can you get your grip tape."

"Ah" and as Tezuka proceeded to search for his tape, Oishi looked around, there should be a drink somewhere, ah, a can of ponta. He walked over to the coffee table, and made to sit down, _not so accidentally_ knocking over the can as he did it. "Oh, erm, Tezuka, do you have anything I could clean this up with?" he asked, looking at the sticky purple liquid, that was now covering half the table

"Ah. There are some wipes in the bathroom" he answered. Needing an excuse for Tezuka to go in the bathroom, Oishi panicked and stuck his hand in the drink. "Oh, look. It's on my hands; if I go I will trail it all on the carpet, could you go?"

His captain looked at him and raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Oishi wasn't normally this clumsy; he must really be worried about what is happening with Eiji. Who could blame him though, they were doubles partners, if the relationship changed it would affect his tennis, which is a large part of his life. Tezukas' heart went out to Oishi in a way. He was in a difficult position, that could effect the whole team, and at the same time he was dealing with figuring out his sexuality, and falling in love with his best friend. Tezuka was in a similar place, when you think about it. In fact, so was almost all of the team…

"ah" abandoning his search for tennis tape, Tezuka opened the bathroom door. Then in a moment of shock he realised that the light was on, but before he could look around the door closed behind him, effectively locking him in.

"Tezuka? Why are you locked in too?" came a familiar voice. There in the corner of the room, sat down with his knees pulled up to his chest and his back against blue tiles, was his roommate. Fujis' normal smile was gone, and his forehead was crinkled in concentration. "inui! I fear we have been made a fool of."

"what?"

"they arnt blind Tezuka. They knew something was wrong, and tried to fix it" he said sadly. "we really should had expected this, ne?" he calmed down and put on his normal act and smile once more. Tezuka stood for a while, unsure of what he should do. But eventually he sighed, and sat down next to his best friend. If they could be called that anymore…

"so…"

"so…"

And then a silence floated into the room, filling it up, making either one scared to move in case they made something happen. However it wasn't an awkward silence like it is in the movies, or an intense silence like in western shoot outs. Just a simple, heavy silence between friends, sat together in a bathroom.

"i… I should apologise, for how I reacted yesterday, I shouldn't have said some of those things I said, I suppose I was just a little confused, ne. saa, there was no need for me to get so worked up about it really…" Fuji's voice was quiet, almost like a whisper, but a whisper that could be heard because it echoed of the walls of the small room, and since Tezuka was sat so close. They both looked strait ahead, not making eye-contact.

"you had every right to react that way. It was my fault as well." Tezuka replied.

The prodigy sighed in relief, knowing that his captain wasn't mad at him. "so this means I don't have to do laps?" he joked, half heartedly, trying to lighten the mood. "what happens now?" he asked, only half wanting the answer.

"what do you _want_ to happen now?" his captain replied. That was what he would normally do, reply to a question with another question. But it was to important to joke now. Tezuka was his captain, his friend, his friends friend, his _captain_. He couldn't risk ruining all that. He couldn't possibly go back to the tennis team knowing that his captain rejected him, he couldn't lose one of his closest friends, he couldn't loose tennis. But most of all. He couldn't loose Tezuka.

He would rather spent the rest of his years being close to him, and seeing him happy, then be honest, and risk not seeing him at all. He knew Tezuka wouldn't hate him, he knew he wouldn't mind that he was gay, but he wouldn't be able to go in to school every day knowing that because of his stupid feelings, he lost the most important person in his life, all because of one stupid dance, and one stupid kiss. He just couldn't risk it.

"I _want_ things to go back to normal. I _want_ to forget everything that ever happened so that we can go back to being friends." He said sadly. "but what I don't want, is to loose you" he regretted saying the last one, as soon as he said it. What if Tezuka but 2 and 2 together? But still he carried on. "what I _want_, is for this holiday to be over, I _want_ Matsuda to go away. I _want_ to Oishi to finally ask out Eiji. I _want _to go back to us being the team that will win the nationals." He finaly turned to look at Tezuka. "but what I want isn't possible. So. What do you what?"

A deep chuckle erupted from his friend, and then a low sigh, as he turned to face the tensai. "ah. Friends?"

Fuji smiled. A real genuine smile graced his face. "friends." Then out of no where a jingle rung through the room.

"saa, I think your phone is ringing"

Tezuka , reached into his pocket and fished out his mobile. "hello?" there was a pause, " oh, sakura" another pause. "No I haven't seen matsuda, why?" pause. "ah" pause. "ah. Bye"

"who was that?" fuji asked, after his friend had put his mobile away.

"sakura. The girl you met the other day, when you hurt your arm"

"saa. I never did ask. How do you know her?"

His captain looked down. " long story."

"well, we've got lots of time, remember were kinda trapped in here, ne." fuji said teasingly. Thinking for a moment before speaking, Tezuka recalled the moment that he met the girl.

**_*flashback*_**

_It was during the holidays and he was visiting his aunt at house in the mountains. He had went for a jog after his food to get some air. He trailed all through the small country town, passing all different types of shops and cafes as he went. Suddenly a scream came from the west, and being uncharacteristically nosey, he decided to make a detour to see what the commotion was about._

_About half a mile down the road he came to an old tennis court. There were two people playing, one was a man with sporty shorts and a nike t-shirt on, the other was a girl in a purple tennis dress with brown,blond hair tied back in a high ponytail. _

_After making a mental note of where the court was for future reference, and deciding that whatever the noise was about must have been dissolved by now. He continued his jogging again._

_"AHHHHHHHHH"_

_"NON OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF YOU JUST AGREED IN THE FIRST PLACE!"_

_"AHHHH"_

_"THIS WAS YOUR CHOISE, YOU MADE THIS DECISION, ITS YOUR FAULT YOUR IN PAIN" _

_Tezuka turned to the source of the screaming, and saw a disturbing sight. The girl was crouching own on her knees, rocking her arm back and forth, screaming in pain, as the man, who had obviously jumped the net, was stood feet away from her hurling abuse. _

_Being the nice-guy that he was, he instantly ran to the girl who was screaming in agony_

_"BACK OFF PUNK. SHES MINE!"_

_Ignoring the screaming man, Tezuka tended to the girl " what happened?"_

_"WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT SLUT REFUSED ME! ME! AND THEN SHE HAD THE NERVE TO SAY IT WASN'T HER FAULT!" he yelled, stepping forward, closer to her. Lowering his voice he smiled perv-aly "look at her, you can tell shes a whore. No girl has a wrack that big unless she stuffes her sexy lace bra, am I right?"_

_To prove his point he used his racket to give a forceful shove to the girls chest, to which she clamber backward in an attempt to get away from the man. She almost wouldn't have because the man reachd to grab her hair, failing because his hand was pushed away by tezukas._

_By this time the girl had stopped yelling and obviously wasn't in pain, however her hand had a small purple bruise on, making Tezuka belive that she still wasn't ok. "hm… can I borrow your racket?" he asked the girl. She nodded, unsure what to do_

_Facing the perverted man, Tezuka spoke. "lets play tennis, one set match, if I win, you leave her alone, if I lose, I will walk away and pretend nothing happened."_

_"deal"_

_Needless to say, Tezuka won the match hands down. Leaving the man on his hands and knees panting. "What the HELL is your name?"_

_But Tezuka had already turned to walk away, the man making him sick. "Tezuka Kunimitsu"_

_"you do NOT ignore me when im speaking." In frustration, the man grabbed his racket, and smashed the ball in Tezukas direction. Having amazing cat like reflexes, Tezuka turned and blocked the ball. Lobbing it over the other side, only to have it smashed back at him again, so he repeated._

_This time, his palm shock in pain, as he stood looking at the male. "next time, tez'ka. Remember the name Matsuda Yoruka. Because I will beat you. Crush you like a bug. Oh, and by the way. You. Got. Clowned" and with that he walked away._

_The girl came rushing to his side after saying she knew how to treat his arm_

**_*flashback*_**

"Did you ever find out why she rejected him in the first place?" Fuji asked.

"She doesn't date men, she dates women."

"Oh, and your ok with that?"

"Ah"

"How did you find out that?"

"She told me."

"Saa, why would she tell you that?"

Tezuka sighed. "So that I would feel more comfortable and tell her that i-"

Eiji came bursting through the door, bowing instantly to hide his face. "I know I am going to get 1000 laps, but dinners ready!" then the ran out the door again.

"Well foods ready…"

"Ah"


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer- no in the last 24hours, I have not managed to steal the rights to prince of tennis, however I have found 20p down the back of my couch J . but no, in all seriousness I don't own it. Sorry. You know that if I did, so many more pairings would be cannon. Adorable, silver, dirty, perfect, golden, emerald (continues on for too long, so I will just… ya know… start the story now…)**

After a very tasty meal, and giving the regulars 1million laps of the court, the entire Seigaku team was asleep by nine. Well, almost.

"Momo!" Eiji whispered loudly, making a cone with his hands to emphasize it. "Come on!" he was stood outside of Momos' room, talking to the door, in hope that his friend would be able to hear him. With a quiet click and a squeak of the door handle and hinge, the spiky haired boy crept out of his room. He looked at his cat like friend; he was wearing a t-shirt with a kitten on with the caption "do you like my cousin?" on. However Momo was to slow to realise that it was implying that Eiji was part cat. Momo himself was wearing a simple blue shirt and grey trousers. But of Corse they were hardly visible, in the lowlight of night.

"Lets get to the kitchen" and then they proceeded to 'stealthily' move through the corridors, resembling the movements of a cartoon character mister bean. They had, after dodging and weaving past furniture, found there way to the freezer. As they opened the door a golden light came from the appliance that seemed to illuminate the whole building. They shivered as the refrigerators' colds hands found its way round there body, as numb fingers fumbled with shelves, sifting through packs of frozen pea's and packs of 'smash' until they found a tub of expensive looking ice-cream.

Shooting there hands up in success they found there way to the dining table. "Momo can you get some bowls and spoons?" Eiji asked, trying to get the lid of the tub. The inside of the box must have been a vacuum, because the lid just wasn't coming off.

Momo had just returned with a bowl in each hand, a spoon clumbisaly thrown in that was threatening to spill out. "nyaaaah" Eiji squeaked as the top of the ice-cream came away with a satisfying pop.

The melting cream making the amount of friction in Eiji grip minimal allowing the lid to fly out of his grip. Eyes wide as circles, Momo panicked as the object came towards his arms knocking the bowls and spoons, letting them fall freely to the ground. Time slowed down as the 3 seconds of hectic clambering to stop the airborne objects from falling lasted a life time. However none the less it ended u with both Eiji and Momo on the floor, arms extended with the bowls safely on them, luckily making no noise, and not getting them in trouble.

Deciding to stay on the floor to decrease the risk of making noise that may wake others up, they sat down and spooned ice-cream out before scoffing it down quickly. "ahahhha. Nothing tastes better than 'job well done' ice cream." Momo sighed, rubbing his full belly.

"And! Tezuka-boucho and Fuji are friends again. Definitely worth a treat" Eiji piped in.

Then they froze.

In the direction of the corridor there was a click that sounded disturbingly like the opening of a door. Pressing their bodies to the ground in an attempt to not be noticed, they listened eagerly. They winced as the bright light came into there eyes. A shadowy figure came into their view. They could distinguish short messy hair and instantly dismissed the thought that it was there coach. As more and more of the shadow was cast, and the tall loosely clothed shadow spread across more and more of the cold floor. The shadow was familiar, disproving the theory that it was a burglar or a thief. No, this was a shadow that was often cast on the courts, either causing 1st years to quake in fear or stare in amazement. The shadow belonged to non other than their beloved captain.

They both lay with a swirl of both confusion and wondering why there captain was out of bed. They heard the rattle of a door Nob, and foot steps, fear and regret building in the pits of their stomachs' as they prepared for the worst. Tezuka must have heard them and came out the tell them of, that would make them have a quiet five minuet scolding and getting sent round the building 20 times in there pyjamas at the middle of night, trying not to wake anymore people by setting of the alarm.

However surprisingly the bespectacled captain continued to walk past them, almost like he didn't even know that they were there. Which wasn't possible, Tezuka never let his guard down, if he did he wouldn't be able to say his favourite saying, would he? No, they boy walked through the room and into the other room, completely ignoring them.

Eijis eyebrows knitted together in confusion, as he sat up and crossed his legs. Momo mirrored his actions, and rubbed his chin in the comical 'stroking my beard' way. After an exchanging of glances and looks, without talking they came to the conclusion that they should follow him. So they did. Crawling on hands and knees they manoeuvred their ways through the table and chair legs then scrambled across the empty floor, quicker than Kamio from Fudomine, so that there was less chance they were seen.

They peered through the crack from behind a door, as they could see the tennis player pulling out the keys to unlock the door. Thinking briefly, questioning how he got the keys, before brushing it off. He probably just asked the coach, and she would have said yes. She never was the conventional teacher. It seemed like something she would do, especially because she had an almost unreasonable amount of faith and trust in Tezuka, however so did everyone.

The boy was defiantly intending to go outside, he was dressed in clothes, and not pyjamas like everyone else would be at that time. They promptly crouched down, on their feet, in a ball, and rushed to the door just in time to escape through it. They hid discreetly behind a large patch of shrubbery, as the brunette locked the door behind him. They observed as he walked down the pathway and out of the gates.

They shivered as the wind got into their cotton pyjamas and left them shaking as the cold attacked nerve ends. Hairs standing straight on their arms, they ran bare foot, across the –thankfully dry- grass, hiding behind hedges and bushed. Trying not to let their heads bob above the top, making them visible as they went. After some time of tailing there boucho they found themselves in a semi-urban area, which left them inspecting the streets from around corners in a typical James bond spy style, avoiding stepping on twigs that may snap, or nocking stones that may roll.

However the eventually found themselves crouched down at the outskirts of an empty tennis court. It was pretty basic, 1 court, a judges chair and a few benches for onlookers to see the game. There was a brick wall outlining the area, which they thought was particularly handy for them to hide behind. They corners were dark and dreary, hiding from the little light that the moon offered. Even in the centre or the playing field the net was falling apart as well as the loosely tied knots holding it to the rusty metal posts threatening to let go. It was quite obvious that this wasn't the wealthiest of areas, the grass was slightly over grown, and the markings were hardly visible, the whole thing in a way looked like it was on its last legs, and it had been worn away by its use. It was all quite a shock to the 'city' boys, as they weren't used to the slightly less perfect, more rough, rural world.

They waited in for something to happen, silently observing what was happening to the tennis player. Tezuka for once, had no idea that such thing was happening.

He sighed, and glanced at his watch. Surely he would be here by now…

"how lovely to see you again, Tez'ka." He pivoted on his heels, and watched as the voice found its body. From the shadows of the darkest corner, came an almost black figure. Black hair, messy fringe half covering sharp glaring eyes, glazed over with lazy half-hearted shine. The contrast noted, and interpreted, he moved further out into the open. "why am I here?" the bespectacled boy asked. A deep laugh erupted from the figure as it walked out until his face was undeservedly blessed by the moons shine.

"why? I'll tell you why. I thought you might want to know why your little admirer likes you so much." Matsuda spoke. His face contouring in a smug smirk. "The reporter, the girl who happens to like you a lot. You might be happy to know I told her about you. But I might warn you that she can be a bit obsessive at times"

Tezuka narrowed his eyes because the man continued to come closer to him and the wind picked up. A large rough hand rested upon his shoulder and breaths of garlic and stale meat brushed his ear. Whispering harshly "she always gets what she wants. She pushes through almost anything to get it, so you might want to warn your little boyfriend, that she is a lot worse than me. Not to mention, she has the power of the media." Boyfriend? What was he talking about? He couldn't mean…

Tezuka raised both hands and gave a forceful shove to the man, efficiently getting him away. The man must have been bored slightly, because he didn't put in the effort to try and get to him once more. "just think about it. Magazines. Newspapers. Leaflets."

Matsuda reached into his pocket and slowly, exaggerating his movements, he pulled out a rose from his pockets, and with a passive throw he flung it in the others' direction. Obviously the thrill of taunting Tezuka was wearing off because it offered no entertainment. He caught the rose. He instantly ignored it and let his hand fall to his sides. Hazel eyes pierced through glass lenses, not at all amused, he watched the retreating figure as the swaying shoulders slowly and strutting legs became no more than the darkness of the fields and the sight of the town a few miles in the distance. Redirecting his gaze, Tezuka inspected the rose. It was half wilted, and the silken petals were folded unnaturally and ungracefully as a result of being in cased in a trouser pocket, the bright red colour was slowly being took over as a purple brown seeped in around the dents and creases in the flower. The stalk was dry and wrinkling more and more as he gripped it; the thorns protruding obscenely as the sharp edges cut into his skin, slightly causing him to bleed.

He didn't know whether it was because the flower was old, or if it was because it was mistreated, but it looked awful, and the lowlight made it seem dreary and tired. Perhaps he was being so cruel to the flower because it came from a mean person, it seemed right that the flower inherited the bad traits, isn't it, maybe the flower was hurt by Matsuda too. However it was old and used, it would be cruel to make others see it, and humiliate it. He was thinking to much into this, wasn't he.

He was trying to keep his mind away from everything, it worked, but it was pointless. He began to walk back, still thinking. He passed through the town soon, walking by a bin, he dropped it in (the rose) and kept walking.

He returned to the cottage after a while, he didn't lock the door instantly, he was distracted by a light in the kitchen, someone had left the freezer open. Of course he closed it then went back to lock the door, then found his way to his room, and laid down to go to sleep, it took a while, his head was to full.

Eiji and Momoshiro had found their way back too, and got inside in a lucky moment when Tezuka was distracted by something inside, they then got to bed, happy that they were doing no training. They didn't understand quite what happened, because the wind was too loud and it stop their hearing.

They did however find something interesting on the way back. Beside a bin, there was a lifeless rose, it must have been the one Matsuda gave Tezuka. They were confused because they didn't what it all was about, it would have helped to had been able to hear them speak.

When they said goodbyes for the night before they parted ways, Eiji was in to minds of whether or not to tell Fuji about what was happening and the events of the night. He looked at his double partner. What would Oishi do? Would Oishi tell? Or not?

He lay on his back, starring at his beige ceiling, slightly envious. Ceilings looked over so many events, they just watched; no-one ever expected a ceiling to tell them if there partner cheated on them or if there friend had made and enemy who gave them rose in abandoned tennis courts? Well the last scenario was a bit specific and wouldn't happen all that often. There was no use blaming furniture of fittings, he needed to do something, he just didn't yet know what.

He turned over. He could see the face of his vice captain peacefully sleeping, his chest moving slowly up and down as air came in and out of his lungs with rythmic breathing, his hair falling untidily downwards due to the force of gravity and pushed back up by the a bit uncomfortable and hard pillow. He whished he could talk to him. Things were to awkward though.

No. he would sleep on it. And when he woke up, he would know what to do.

He hoped.


	10. Chapter 10

**disclaimer- I do not own prince of tennis.**

Fuji absent minded looked through the pictures on his camera. He had some good ones, some bad ones that were blurry, some OK ones, he still needed to upload them to his computer. He smiled sadly, he sighed, beholding the beauty in the photography in what was possibly his favourite photo he took, ever. It was the picture he got when they were on the mountain before Tezuka went to Germany.

He remembered how it affected him back then, but the thing was, he didn't understand why when it happened. It wasn't like he could just blame the soul wrenching pain on the fact that his _friend_ was going to Germany for a few mere months. He could however use the excuse that he was so saddened by his captains' departure that he didn't eat for days because he _loved_ him. It all made so much more sense when he looked back on it. Yes. This was more that a school boy crush, this was heart-clenchingly strong love that made him happier when ever he so much as saw his friend, it was that his stomach had a thousand tiny butterflies in whenever Tezuka touched him, it was when he got angry because someone other than him stood next to his friend, because he felt a sense of pride whenever Tezuka won a match. It was him hoping and praying that when he comes of the court after winning a match that his bespectacled friend will congratulate him, or when he loses to not be mad and support him and help him get better next time.

This was the reason he never left his room for a week when Tezuka left for Germany, it's why he worried his sister so much because he would talk to anyone. Why he waited with bated breath for an email or a phone call every night Tezuka was away. Its why as soon as Tezuka walked into his sight for the first time, he felt like he had been reunited with his old life again. It's why he is complete with Tezuka in his life. Why he couldn't bear to loose his Tezuka.

He doesn't even know why he loves him. Maybe it is the cold exterior that sends chills down his spine and make his knees wobble like jelly. Or perhaps it was the dedication to anything he does. His stubbornness that makes him so hard to change no matter how hard people try. Its could be the way that Tezuka is the only one who tries to look beyond Fuji's tennis and asks why. Maybe it's because he is the only one who tries, not that he doesn't like his friend, and it's just that Tezuka is the only one who is not satisfied when Fuji wins. All of this could come from the want, no. The need, to live up to Tezukas expectations, to be as good as him. Which we all know isn't possible. Because there is no such thing as perfect. Except in tezukas place.

It all was so big, so grand. When on the out side, nothing really happened. It all happened inside, from within his heart. It was love that changed standing next to him into_ standing next to him. _It was longing that made every overseas phone call that came from Germanythe_ overseas phone calls from Germany._ It's every day events that emotions make into something so much more personal, not just something everyone could do.

That's how the heart works, isn't it. It is the only organ in your body that can disobey the brain. The heart is the reason why every day you're alone is longer, even if your brain knows it's not true. The heart it why blood gets pushed round you faster when he's near, even though the brain knows there is no need. That organ is the reason why people dare do things that they are aware are stupid and humiliating, because it's the power of love.

However science has a different theory. It's that Fuji loves Tezuka from the bottom of his limbic system. It is the part of the brain responsible for creating emotions. Science says that his hippocampus is responsible for why Fuji has emotional memory, and that his hypothalamus is why it is so regulated and systematic that it's every time he see's Tezuka he smiles. Its science that believes ventral tegmental area is why the pain it takes to endure tennis training makes him so happy, because he knows it makes Tezuka happy as well. It says the prefrontal cortex is why he gets so anxious when around his captain, why he feels clumsy and makes wrong decisions when near him.

Either way, he loves Tezuka. Almost too much to be true.

He had too much time on his hands. They weren't doing training that day so they could do whatever they pleased. For some reason Eiji was still in bed, he said he didn't get much sleep, so he is quite tired. The coach actually let him sleep through a lecture they were given because someone left ice-cream out of the freezer, and it melted and the floor was all sticky. Although Fuji had a sneaky suspicion that it was Momo because he looked incredibly guilty.

He could hear Oishi babble on to Tezuka about what seemed to be how he was worried about Eiji and how he didn't know what to do. Tezuka didn't reply very often, and when he did it was the usual one word answer.

"I don't know whether I should go and see him or not, its just that we haven't been talking. But I want to know if he's ok an…" the thing was. Tezuka was only half listening, in that he was hearing him talk, but not processing the words. His head was to busy to listen. Every thing he thought of just brought his mind back to his tensai. Tennis was linked to fuji, the number 3 reminded him of the triple counters, the blue sky reminded him of the geniuses sapphire eyes. The brown bed sheets were the same colour of the silken locks of his friends hair. He couldn't think a sane thing without an involvement from the boy. It just, overtook his whole world, unintentionally.

No matter how much he tried he couldn't stop it. It's not like he realised it when he did it, it was only after that he could recognise the fact that his mind was infiltrated. He did however notice the increase in his heart rate whenever Fuji was in the same room, or that whenever he watched him play tennis he will found it so mesmerising that he wanted a long game purely so that he could be a spectator. It was almost like his world revolved around the brunette, like every moment was some how linked, even if it was by whimsical means, it was linked non the less. It was alarming how since the day they met, Tezuka found himself drawn instinctively to the boy. At first he didn't know why it was happening, at first he didn't even know it was happening. Yet like a moth to a flame he was pulled towards Fuji .

All of his life he had been excellent, clever, good looking. What people fail to realise is how boring being perfect is. He followed every rule, all the time, and people admired him for that, but he lost the thrill of getting high marks on a test because he got it every time; he won every tennis match and he knew he would. He couldn't avoid the possibility that the reason he wanted the tensai so much, was because he was exiting, he was so complex, so much was hidden and it always left you guessing. He could only marvel at what might be going on in that pretty little head, or what was behind the smile. It was like he could watch everything happen and just witness it all because it was so interesting. However as things progressed he found himself wanting more and more to be part of it, not just an onlooker, he wanted to be involved, he wanted to _be_ there and do things. He wanted more, like it was some drug, he needed more. He never even imagined that it would progress so far. Not considered the possibility that he would become so dependent on it.

After the _event_ when he and Fuji stopped talking, it affected him in ways he couldn't even imagine. It felt like part of him died, like it was stolen from him. the life of Tezuka Kunimitsu suddenly got less exiting, less interesting, less Fuji-like. He never broken rules, not even with Fuji as his friend. He wouldn't deny however, that there might have been the odd moment when he turned a blind eye to the rule bending, or teasing that the genius may have partaken in, because he knew the result would never been bad or harmed anyone, but they may have been interesting.

He couldn't say that the reason he liked Fuji was completely personality based. One thing, well two things, that he found so amazing, so fantastically beautiful, were a pair of deep, pools of blue, that were on the angelic face of his friend. He didn't know if it was because they appeared so very few times, and when they did it was the times that Fuji was so focused and passionate that it was so intense; or if it was because they were more rarely magical and pretty than a mermaid. He also hadn't noticed how well sculpted his friends body was. He took interest in how his slight and petit frame was still covered in muscles from the hours of tennis training.

After so much time of being so close to and being so entranced by the boy, there could be no way Tezuka could even try to tell himself that he didn't love Fuji. He couldn't pretend, or convince himself otherwise. He was thrown into the deep end of love, and wasn't showing any signs of being able to swim. He just hoped that being friends with Fuji was enough to give him armbands, until the pool dries up.

Well he could hope. Couldn't he?

"what do you think?"

"hn?" he replied, slightly startled. Even if he didn't show it.

"what do you think I should do?" Oishi asked. Not noticing how his friend hadn't listen to him.

"I think you should do what ever you think is right. Forget what you want, and do what you think is best." That was advise that could be good in any situation. It would cover the fact that he wasn't listening.

Oishi suddenly got so much more serious. He was doing what he thought was right. That was something he believed in. He stood up tall, muttered a thankyou to his captain, then walked back to his room. He stopped as he saw Eiji run out of the room, looking very tired and very troubled.

"Fuji. I need to tell you something."


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer- I've given up on trying to make these interesting. Sorry. But I own nothing.**

Closing the door behind him, Eiji continued to walk until he sat down on the seat, looking very troubled.

"I'm sure Oishi will be your friend again soon. You've nothing to worry about Eiji" Fuji smiled, slightly saddened because he was pulled out of his daydream.

"Fuji…" Eiji looked down, his hands were intertwined on his lap, fingers laced, tightly gripping. His shoulders were slumped, and his limbs fell limp. He found his body was being held back by all the bothers he was carrying. He needed to tell Fuji, so why was it so hard? It was like, something was stopping him, almost as if he was afraid the news might hurt his friend. That was because there _was_ a high chance that it would make Fuji sad.

"Saa, are you feeing ok Eiji? You don't look well." In all honesty he didn't feel well. But he still needed to tell Fuji. There was something going on, and Tezuka was keeping it from Fuji, from everyone. It just seemed, so, out of character, like there was something he wanted to be hidden from them, like it would be better if they didn't know; it would be best to stay out of it, but he was already involved in it all, and Fuji got injured because of it. It all appeared as if what was supposed to be a fun holiday, turned out to be so much more dangerous and ha so much more too it. Eiji couldn't be doing with it.

A sharp pain in his thigh reminded him of his story. "Last night…" he started, gaining Fuji's interest. "Me and Momo were in the kitchen eating ice-cream and…"

"So it _was_ you." Fuji voiced in a mock-accusative tone. Eiji shook his head. "This isn't about…" Fuji looked at him seriously. "…that. I… well…"

"Yes?"

"When we were in there we saw someone. And it turned out to be Tezuka." Fuji gave him an eye as if willing him to go on, so he continued. "Well he, he went out side, so we followed him so see where he was go-" he stopped when he saw Fuji stand up then walk in the direction of the door, he then closed it and sat back down again.

"Don't want him to hear this, ne?" Eiji nodded.

"So we followed him. We went through a town then after a few minuets we stopped and it was really dark and really cold, so it must've been really important. Anyway… we got to these tennis courts" he closed his eyes again to remember it all, putting his hand in his trouser pockets, to find a pointy thorn that prodded his finger painfully.

_It was pretty basic, 1 court, a judge's chair and a few benches for onlookers to see the game. There was a brick wall outlining the area, which they thought was particularly handy for them to hide behind. They corners were dark and dreary, hiding from the little light that the moon offered. Even in the centre or the playing field the net was falling apart as well as the loosely tied knots holding it to the rusty metal posts threatening to let go. It was quite obvious that this wasn't the wealthiest of areas, the grass was slightly over grown, and the markings were hardly visible, the whole thing in a way looked like it was on its last legs, and it had been worn away by its use._

"And they were a bit scruffy. And it was all shadowy so I couldn't see much, and it was too windy and I was too far away to hear anything…" he opened his red eyes again; they were still slightly puffy of where he had been crying. "Well there was some one else who turned up. I didn't even see him until he came out of the shadows; he might have been there for ages... Anyway he had black hair, well, it might have been brown because it was just really dark, and anyway he started talking to Tezuka…"

Eiji wondered if he should stop. No. he had already started. "I… we couldn't hear what was said…" he wondered if he should leave this bit out, but he couldn't tell half the story. "Well he grabbed Tezuka by the shoulder, and whispered something to him, and then Tezuka pushed him away." Fuji listened intently, taking everything into his mind. "Then…" Eiji paused. This could really break Fuji's heart. "He said something about how Tezukas boyfriend should watch out and…"

"And?" the genius asked, gloomily.

"And then, he threw him a flower, we didn't know what type it was, we were to far away to see, but on the way back, we saw him put this in the bin, only it hit of the side and fell on the floor." That was when Eiji removed the half dead rose from his pocket, and laid it on the coffee table in front of him. Not looking at Fuji for fear of his reaction.

"Would you say that the tennis court was about a five minuet jog from the nearest building?" Eiji nodded, surprised at Fuji's state, he expected him to be sad. "And did Tezuka seem to know his way around well, did he ever stop to look at a map or a sign or did he know where to go?"

"He knew where to go."

"Would you describe the person as a man?" Fuji asked.

"Yes."

"Did he look even slightly, familiar to you?" now that you mention it, he did have that air of familiarity about him; it was like he was someone he could faintly remember but couldn't place.

"Yeah, slightly" he answered confused as to why Fuji was asking so many questions, it wouldn't get him anywhere, would it?

"But you don't know who it was." Fuji smiled sadly. _Well at least I do. _"I think you should go and talk to Oishi. He tried to talk to you before when you came in here, you know?" Fuji expressed.

"Really? I thought he hated me…"

"Why is it you aren't talking again?" Fuji forgot.

" I don't know really, we just haven't spoke since the sleepover, well not like we used to anyway." He said forlorn, and morbidly. It didn't seem right for Eiji to be so down, it just didn't fit.

So without any words Fuji stood up, pulled Eiji by the arm into his room, where his doubles partner was sat down, and pushed him in. Not intentionally hard, just a shove away from the door. Eiji however had fallen over onto his bottom, to which Oishi quickly and subconsciously came to his aid without realising it. Resulting in both of them turning away blushing. Then after the shock, Eiji ran back to the door to ask what on earth Fuji was doing, but the door wouldn't open. What made it more strange was that their door didn't lock.

Out side Fuji ran to retrieve a chair from the dinning room, leaving a very shocked Tezuka behind, returned back and jammed it under the door handle. Meaning that the door couldn't be opened.

"Fuji" came the voice of his captain, "explain."

He couldn't be doing with this. Not after what he just found out. "Eiji and Oishi still aren't talking, and the tournament is tomorrow, would affect their tennis. Ne?"

"Fuji. They aren't playing tomorrow." Tezuka countered, looking up from the book he was reading.

He forgot that. It was unlike him to forget this much this often, he just had a lot on his mind. "They did do the same to us." So he went for a different tactic, appealing to the human side of Tezuka, he just hoped there was one.

"However your intentions differ from theirs." Fuji's smile widened as he heard his friend speak, then he turned around.

"Don't be so sure, captain." And with that he left his bewildered captain behind. He quickly scribbled a note saying that anyone who moved the chair would face dire consequences with a smiley face next to it, placed it on the chair, and grabbed his coat. Naturally he notified his captain that he was going out, he lied and said he cleared it with the coach, he wouldn't check anyway.

"Tezuka. What do you think of roses?" he asked, before he even registered what he was saying, he regretted it.

"What type?"

"Red" it wasn't a type really, more of a colour. He just hoped that Tezuka wouldn't catch on.

"I despise them" Tezuka exclaimed slightly louder than necessary.

"Why?" he shouldn't ask, he really shouldn't, but he couldn't help the feeling of hope building within him as he spoke.

"Memories"

As good a reason as any. "Saa, what rose would you give to your boyfriend then? Or girlfriend. Whoever you love. Rose is the flower of love, so it _would_ be a rose." he chose his words carefully, if he made a mistake thing could end badly. Tezuka looked at him, slightly confused, also slightly… amused? Well, I suppose it could just be there favoured flower…

"I wasn't aware that I had a boyfriend. Or a girlfriend." Was that trying to mock him? "but white, why do you want to know?" the good news was he didn't say he wouldn't have a boyfriend.

He suddenly noticed how many questions that had been asked that day, but he continued. "just wondering. Is your favourite colour white? Your racket is white too." White is a nice colour.

"I've never thought about it" then he went back to his book.

"Well, ja na"

He walked away stunned, who doesn't know there favourite colour? Another question, what was it, the Spanish inquisition? He giggled to himself. After he reached the town, he asked for directions, then started jogging.

It took in five minuets, like he had expected. He reached the tennis court. _This was definitely the court that Tezuka met Matsuda in. his relatives live near hear, and I can't imagine Matsuda travelled very far, and this is the only public tennis court for miles_. He looked around, it was scruffy. He brushed it off and made his way back to the town.

An idea struck him. He looked around. It would be a little shop, nicely decorated, usually on the outskirts, he smiled in joy when he had found the florist. Sure enough, it was a small shop with a big glass window letting you see the flower display. It had a large, stylish black sign with bright pink letters saying 'Flower girls'. There were huge displays of flowers that looked really pretty, a pink and white one, a purple and yellow one that just didn't seem right, a big black and white one too. He went inside.

The door was surprisingly heavy. He heard a bell ring above him, and immediately a tall blond teenaged girl came rushing to his side. "Lovely to see you. What type of flowers is it that you want? We have a lovely stock of all colour roses in this week. They are super popular" She was a very perky girl, and she had a huge smile on her face. Is that how he seemed to everyone? He could hope that he was a bit more threatening than that.

"Well, actually, I came to ask about roses. You see, my… friend bought me one the other day, but you see, I have no idea what each colour means."

Her eyes seemed to light up, it was clear that this was a job she loved. She suddenly grabbed him by the arm. He was shocked at first, until he realised that she was taking him to the rose display. There were all colour roses. Pink, red, blue, yellow, black, peach, lavender and_ white_.

"what colour did he get you? It is a he isn't it?" she either has a very good gay-dar, or is under the impression that he is a girl. He was fine with that.

"red"

She squealed in excitement, "I think you have a secret admirer." But she stopped when she saw the troubled face of her customer. "isn't that a good thing?"

"Its… not quite as simple as that I'm afraid."

She glanced at him sympathetically. "boys… why don't you sit down and tell me, we haven't had a customer in all day and I'm terribly bored, and it might help you."

She brought out two stools from where the flowers were, they must be used to sit on when they create bouquets. "Well, its just the person who got me it is a bit of a… bad boy, and he has hurt me before," The girl closed her eyes in empathy, as if she could feel his pain. "and its not me who likes him, its my, friend. So I don't want to go there. Plus, I like someone else."

"Hmm, what does he look like? The person who you got the rose from."

That is what he wanted to hear. "He is tall, well built, and has black hair, looks quite mean and nasty" if she recognised the person it was Matsuda who Tezuka met the night before.

"oh yeah, he bought a red rose 2 days ago, but it was almost starting to wilt, I told him that he should get a different one to last longer, but he said it didn't matter, it must be completely wilted by now." _So it was Matsuda _"I admire you for not forgetting your friend" a friend that he made up.

"What about the person you like?"

"Saa, he is perfect, but we are close friends and I fear he is almost impossible to reach"

"awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! That's so sad! You should tell him!" Fuji looked at her in disbelief. That wouldn't happen.

"I know! You should get him a rose."

That was a good idea, actually. She then proceeded to drag him, who she thought was a her, back to the rose display, and explain each colour.

"This is red. It symbolises true love, it portrays warmth and affection, legends says that Cleopatra had red roses all over her floor when she acquired Antony, that must have been beautiful. The red rose is by far the most beautiful of all the roses. It's the colour of the heart. It is craving passion and raging desires. Dark red is said to mean the same, but it refers to unrealised beauty, unconscious beauty. It basically screams 'I love you' but it is yet so much more mysterious than the bright ones, don't you think."

She then went on to, long-windedly, explain how pink roses mean grace and gentility. How purple roses mean love at first sight. How green roses mean richness and fertility. How yellow roses mean joyfulness and friendship.

He looked down. There were two colours she misses. Gently he picked up a blue rose. He thought it looked absolutely enchanting. It wasn't like blue was his favourite colour, it was beige, but there was something about this flower that drawn it to him. "oh, that's a blue rose. They aren't actually blue, they are made blue because we give them a treatment to make it that way, real roses lack the pigment to make them blue. The blue rose is sometimes used to mean mystery, enigmatic, you know, the kind of things where you just don't understand, it's the kind of thing you would give to someone who hardly ever talks, because they leave you to fill in the gaps. Another thing is that they represent the impossible, since they are not actually achievable in nature, it gives them an air of surrealism, like they are unreachable."

"What does white mean. Not in a bridal way, im not that old yet" he joked.

"well, just look at it. Its pure, it's the colour of virgin snow. Its untarnished and holy. The colour of angles. Some say it means undying love, that once you are given one that they will love you forever until they die. It's so much more deep than the red rose, it doesn't describe, want, or passion. Just love, just pure love. So much more than the red rose it speaks of a loyalty, that love will endure through all. Its terrible romantic," she sighed. It was clear as day as to what was her favourite rose.

Pure and untarnished, so that was Tezukas type. Just the picture that Tezuka would give a white rose said so much. It spoke of the devotion he had to every thing he had in his life, the way that it was so much more grown up than the red rose that he so despised. Yes, it all said a lot about his captain. He would just wait for the day that he could receive a white rose from the boy.

"Well, as far as innocent goes, I'm not all that sure, but unreachable yes. I'll have the blue rose," he said, indicating to the rose in his hand.

"Do you not want a one without thorns on, it may hurt your hand?"

He smiled her and chuckled, "no its alright. Something tells me, he doesn't like things that are made out to be what there not."

"You do know that a blue rose is treated to make it blue, I did say that didn't I?"

"Whilst he might not know blue roses aren't natural, even an idiot knows a rose has thorns" she wrapped it in some sort of clothe that had water on that should make it last for longer and stop him from hurting his hand. He paid for it and went to leave, just before he got out the door, he said "by the way, I'm a boy."

To which she replied, "I know"

He continued, to walk back, slightly happier, wondering about why Tezuka would go and meet Matsuda, wondering what was meant when he said Tezukas boyfriend. He found relief in that Tezuka pushed Matsuda away, but it hurt him to find out that he was keeping something from him.

"Hey! You!"

He turned around at the loud voice, and saw a very angry girl behind him. camera slung round her neck, short brown hair, revelling clothing. He recognised her.

"I told you, keep away. Now I find out you've done the opposite?! Do you know who you have gotten your self involved with" she screamed at him, walking closes in a very agitated way, the heals on her shoes smashing harshly against the floor. "You want to mind your own business."

She looked at him, her face inches from him. "He was perfectly fine before you got involved. Everything was going to plan, but you couldn't just keep out of It could you?" she harshly grabbed his hair, and pulled at it hastily. "You! You just come in and. And. You are, just unbelievable."

He could have fought back, he could have easily won, even if he does look small and frail, he could hold his own. However he barely even knew this girl, he didn't know how it would end up.

She released her hold on his hair and threw him far way from her, he held his head though it had no comfort. "STAY away from Kunimistu." She gave him a glare, then smiled, "or you'll face the consequences"

He just turned and walked away, doing the noble thing. He walked slightly faster, and slightly brisker than before, he wanted to be away from the reported who hated him for all he was, and who wouldn't? He had forgotten all about Eiji and Oishi back at the lodge, that was another reason to rush back.

She however kept up with him, following silently behind, she had business to deal with. A certain captain had been unfaithful to her, or at least in her eyes.

* * *

**Review please.**

**It sounds cheesy but reviews spur me on to be better and write more, but I cant do that without you guys reviewing. So all your reviews will help me try to finish this before I go back to school in 2 days time.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer- I still don't own it, you know if I did this wouldn't be a fanfiction.**

Fuji arrived back at the cottage in a dampened mood, and forgot all about the present he had bought. He did remember to move the chair imprisoning his friends, and managed to run away before they found out to save himself a lecture off Eiji.

He lay down on his bed staring up at the ceiling, he was thinking about what might be happening. Tezuka would still be reading his book, kaido would be running around somewhere, Inui would be making some strange concoction in the kitchen, Oishi and Eiji would just be figuring out that they could escape, Echizen would still be practicing, and Momo would be somewhere cleaning out some unfortunate café of all their food.

That reporter girl would be somewhere far away. He still didn't quite understand just what Matsuda, Sakura and this reporter girl had to do with all this. He knew that Tezuka had a confrontation with Matsuda when he saved Sakura, but that didn't understand how that made them involved or how the reporter was linked in.

Tezuka knew. He had finished his book and was heading outside for a leisurely stroll before lunch. He had just reached the door, when:

"Hiya, darlin'. Did you miss me?"

He closed his eyes, almost in surrender, and hoped that the voice wasn't what he thought it was. "Don't suppose you'd be as lovely as you look and let me get an interview?" she was stood against the door frame with one arm bent in a triangle for support as she threw her body forward in his direction suggestively.

"No." He continued to walk, ignoring the reporter, he considered running, or going back inside, but that would be undignified and rude, so he opted for the less conventional method, of walking round corners to try and make her lost.

However it didn't work as she run towards him giggling and attached herself to his arm. "Didn't think you could get away from me that easily did you?" no, but he could hope. He had managed to get half way round the building, and he knew he needed to keep his voice down, because he had gotten to the side of the cottage where the bedrooms were, and he could see open windows.

"What is it that you want?" he said quietly, attempting to pry the girl of his arm.

"You." She said very bluntly. Why couldn't he attract normal girls that are scared to talk to him? Or the type that sent you notes in your locker that you never actually meet. Better yet, none. He could be perfectly happy if he only attracted males.

"Well, that is something you won't get. So if you could leave me alone…" he sighed as she let go of his arm with a pout, but she didn't leave, oh no, she just stood in front of him with glaring eyes and pointed eyebrows. "Just because you like that little girly boy doesn't mean I can't have you!" she half screamed.

He stayed silent for a while, waiting for the girl to calm down. In the distance he could hear the call of his coach, telling everyone that it was time for dinner. Under normal arrangements he would have already been there before she called that, because he was always punctual. This time, however, he was just happy that it meant everyone would leave the bedrooms and he wouldn't worry about them hearing.

"He has nothing to for with this." Tezuka argued, he didn't want anyone to be involved in all of this.

"Don't be silly, of Corse he does. If it wasn't for him you would be all over me by now" if it wasn't for Fuji… and the fact that he was _gay_ maybe. He wouldn't be 'all over' any girl, because he didn't like girls. Specifically ones that wore hardly any clothes hurt his friends and persistently annoy him.

"Is it that hard for you to believe that I don't like girls?" he asked the reporter. Crossing his arms and looking down on her.

"No. Its hard for me to believe that you don't like _me_." Did this girl ever give up? She started to fiddle with her hair, brushing the end of a bundle against her nose. She chuckled to herself. Sitting down on the grass she looked up at him. "Even _you_ like me. You just can't tell because your feelings are clouded by that roommate of yours"

" Is that so…" Did he? He wasn't aware of that. This girl seemed to understand his feelings more than he did. Either that or she was making it all up. That seemed more likely, however caused much more problems.

"Yep. So I thought id help you and paid a visit to your friend, he didn't understand at first, so I had to use more… interesting methods." She lay down. It must have been very cold because they were in the shadow of the building and he could only imagine all of the insects.

"What did you do?" he said, he contained his anger and managed to seem surprisingly calm.

"I just, brushed his hair a bit. His hair is really silky, ya know" she stood up and brushed the dirt off her skirt. She strides towards him, a coy smile on her lips. Laing her fingers in his, she rubbed her thumb across the back of his hand, which irritated him so he pulled his hand away. She frowned at his actions, finding them offencive.

"Leave him alone."

"Only if you do."

His patience was wearing thin, he wasn't in the right frame of mind to endure this, he had a rough night before hand. "will you _go away_" he said exasperatedly.

She laughed. How could she find this at all amusing, or even slightly interesting. She was just too persistent for his liking. Did she really intend to pursue a person who doesn't even remotely show any interest in even her gender never mind her personality? "No. I will come back like a fly you just can't shew away out the window, I always get what I want"

Did she just compare her self to a fly? He would much rather put up with a fly. If they get annoying you can kill them, but there are laws about that with humans. "Understand that I will never like you in such ways."

"You already do, you just wont admit it. Give in to me. It would be easier"

A that moment, something inside him snapped. His last nerve had been hit. She had worn away all of his patience. He forgot all of his principles and rules, he was too frustrated. All of his insides grew warmer as rage built inside of him. all his morals said to stop, but it wouldn't happen.

With a stern voice that makes first years tremble, and eyes like an eagle zooming in on its prey, he spoke to her. "listen. I do not, and I will never like you in such ways. Perhaps its time you gave up on your fantasy and realise that I will not put up with your behaviour anymore."

Her eyes opened wide. No one had ever spoken to her like that, no one had ever rejected her, she was never refused what she wanted. She felt her eyes grow more wet. "why? Nobody has ever told me no! what makes you any different!" she screamed, flattening the grass beneath her as she stomped and flailed her arms around in the air like a toddler who was told they couldn't have cake unless they eat there vegetables. She was much to old to throw a temper tantrum. And it made her look even more idiotic.

"Because i'm not weak minded, or a fool. I wont be seduced by chocolates and you showing more skin than you modestly should."

She looked at him in anger, hatred building in her eyes "I guess you are a stupid, pathetic, half wit that cant handle a women." She tried to shout, it wasn't very loud though, she used up all her air in the tantrum.

He knew three year olds who were more of a woman. He held his tongue thought, he wouldn't insult the girl, no matter how much she deserved it, it was unbecoming.

"I can handle women, its just that you aren't one. Women are beautiful and kind even if they are not pretty, women are maternal and a pleasure to be around, or at least the ones I admire, that is what I believe. You show no such quality's, or perhaps I just have high standards. Either way you are mean and have hurt my friends."

"What does that have anything to do with this? Your whole life is tennis! You have no friends"

What that how it appeared. He did have friends, and he valued them friends very much. Especially one.

"I do have friends; I do have people I love. And you. Are not one of them"

She let a tear roll down her cheek, as she looked up, she felt her defences collapse. "You love him?" Another tear from the other eye fell to the ground "you care about him that much?" she crumbled to the floor. All previous urges of destruction and all desire to harm drained out of her. "And I hurt him…" she felt numb. Like her whole world had changed.

"I'm. so. _Sorry_" she bowed. Her body jerking as she cried. "I had no idea. I just… he told me…" She inhaled rapidly, "that if I… and that you…" she wheezed

"I know" he interrupted her. She looked at him with confused eyes. She rubbed her face to wipe of the salty tears that she cried. Her skin reddened from the water. He looked at her with pity in his eyes, knowing and understanding clouding his annoyance.

"I feel sorry for you. Still, loving him doesn't justify anything" he turned and walked away, leaving the girl to cry. He could do nothing for her. And he didn't plan to. He said all he needed to say, some he regretted saying. When someone hurts the one you love, you do things you wouldn't otherwise She loved a very cruel man, and that made her do cruel things. Matsuda could ask her to do things and she would do it at the drop of a hat. He had her wrapped around his little finger. She would do anything for the man she loved. It just so happened that he wanted her to do awful things.

He found his way back through the building, apologising for not eating, saying he didn't feel well. He went back to his room, ignoring the table full of people asking if he was ok.

He panicked. when he reached his room, he found his very own tensai laid in his bed, sleeping. The window was wide open, it would have allowed his conversation to be heard by the sleeping boy, so long as he was awake. He just had to hope Fuji was asleep.

He took of his shoes and changed into his night clothes. It was only 6 o'clock , but he was tired He fell back onto his bed and relaxed. He didn't bother to pull the covers over him. It was warm anyway.

He lifted his hand and reached around his pillow. He found something he knew he didn't put there.

He picked it up. A note;

_From Fuji _

_Hope you didn't lay on it_

What? He turned over. On his pillow was a blue rose. Its thorns still intact. He smiled. It was beautiful, much like the person who gave it to him. small blue, soft petals gleamed as the sun shone on it. His heart pounded at having been given a rose from the person he loved. He knew it wasn't a confession of his love, or a gift that cost a fortune, but it came from Fuji, and that meant a lot to him.

He stood up and put it on the table. "Thank you. Fuji."

"You're welcome"

Tezuka froze. He was awake. He might have heard the conversation with the girl. He never did find out her name. what if Fuji heard him say that he… this could be disasterous. He said so much that he didn't want Fuji to know.

"I didn't know your didn't like girls"

He didn't know what to say. What if he found out? What would happen, he only needed to add two and two together. "ah" he said quietly.

"Not only that, you love someone…" said the genius. He hadn't moved from the bed, nor did he look in Tezuka direction. "they are very lucky" he couldn't help thinking that Fuji sounded… sad? Disappointed? "Don't worry, I wont tell anyone. Not that they would mind." Fuji certainly didn't mind. In fact he was overjoyed, he just didn't want Tezuka to be in love with someone else. He knew he at least had a chance with Tezuka. That was a good thing, and he appreciated it.

Tezuka walked over. Fuji was curious what he planned to do. All he did was lean against the wall next to his bed. "why arnt you eating?" he asked,

Fuji replied with a short "saa…I don't feel well, i'm tierd" turning over to look at Tezuka. Who looked at him questioningly. "so. I might be hiding from Eiji."

Tezuka would have smiled, but he was Tezuka. Instead he did something that he thought was really stupid. He bent down, and slowly, he kissed the tensai on the forhead, then after realising what he was doing, he quicky scuttled of to bed, said a quick "night" and buried himself in his blackest.

Across the room, was a very red Fuji, blushing red as a tomato.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer- even on this emotional rollercoaster that we shared, me writing, you reading, that giant pause, the sudden spree of posts, sorry. I just don't own prince of tennis, guys. That's all there is to it. Its tragic, I know…**

The tournament had come and was almost gone. They played teams, amateur. They had not even half of an impressive arsenal of physics defying moves as Seigaku. Even as Fudomine. But there was one team that they heard was good. The thing was, it didn't have a name. It wasn't a team belonging to a school or a training ground. Just a club. Though it did have the rather imaginative nickname of 'the club'.

That was the team that they ended up playing in the final.

The club.

The matches were as followed.

Doubles 2: Inui and Kaido vs ?

Singles 3: Kawamura vs ?

Singles 2: Momoshiro vs ?

Singles 1; Echizen Ryoma vs Sakura

Doubles 1: Tezuka and Fuji vs Matsuda and an unfortunate kid.

There was a reason for the very strange game order. And that was that in this area doubles were considered very skillfull, and was what most people came for, that meant that they would watch all the matches, because its at the beginning and end, so they stayed for all of it. In theory.

Yet, the 'emerald pair' managed to win without fail. So did, Kawamura. Momoshiro lost. It was close, but he lost. Up until then they had only played the first three matches because that's all they needed too. So it was the first time that Echizen had played at all that day.

He was kept on his toes. To say the least.

"Your arrogant and small. Sorry but you have no hope in beating me" Sakura said. Rightly so, she was leading 4-2. Ryoma gave a witty retaliation as he hit a twist serve and the game ploughed on like normal. Fans cheered in their seats as he made a come back. They bit there lips as he stood panting energy completely drained. And drinks dropped as Sakura hit the winning ball. He walked deflated of to the stands where he was greeted with sad yet understanding faces and was told 'well done' for his efforts. Whilst everyone sat with bated breath for the next match.

Before that, Tezuka and Fuji hadn't spoken that day, they were still recuperating from the previous.

They stepped out onto the court. They glanced sympathetically at the poor boy who had been paired with the devil. Then looked away from the beast on the other side of the net. Tezuka was first to serve. It was returned, Fuji hit it back. Point to Seigaku.

15-0

30-0

40-0

Game Seigaku.

They weren't playing doubles. They weren't playing singles either. It was a simple as Tezuka serves, they hit back and Fuji returns it. It was rhythmic and systematic. But it wasn't doubles. It was just like playing half a match of tennis. Tezuka started the game, Fuji finished it. It wasn't doubles. Doubles is for teams. That was something they were not.

They had all the techniques, all the stamina, all the hand signals all the balls and the court. They had the bond. Not necessarily always love, but the bond between people, the indescribable ability to know your partner like no other. Their bond was **love**. It was a beautiful and unbreakable bond as strong as one thousand steel chain links binding the two together. The bond was invisible though. It pretended to be a flimsy piece of string attached to each of their wrists. The bond of friends. Both of them wanted chains. Both of them had one thousand chains. They just didn't have the courage to walk up to the other and tie them to there beloveds wrist. What they lacked, and a doubles team had. It was knowledge. The knowledge of the bond. Knowing of the love.

Matsuda's serve. Matsuda hit the ball. It went towards Tezuka's face so Tezuka stepped out the way. The game had been silent up until then. No words were spoken. "What did you do to her?" came a dog like snarl. "You broke her." Matsuda looked up with a face of stone. Though fire and hatred shone through dull black eyes.

"You cant break what is broken." Tezuka replied, sadly. "I didn't break her. You did."

The game continued.

15-15

30-15

40-15

40-30

Game Seigaku 2 games to none

Fuji's serve. He looked ahead, he knew he shouldn't. Who would blame him if he did. He did. It wasn't the work of a genius, just an angry, sadistic, teenage boy who knew he knew better, but couldn't get over the fact that he was hurt. He raised his hand, with a flick of the wrist he released the ball. Under arm hit. Just before it reached Matsuda, it disappeared. The boy on the receiving end sputtered and stumbled, the crowd laughed at him for it. Fuji knew he shouldn't want to humiliate the boy. But he was a sadist, it was what he does.

He remembered the pain in his arm. He remembered how he hunched and fell as his limb shook in pain. More importantly, he remembered how the boy insulted his captain, how he betrayed him to versus the boy. He knew better than to let his emotions get the best of him, normally he was so good at hiding them behind a fake smile. But it was different with the ones he loved.

The laughter died down. Briefly the genius pondered on how old Matsuda was. Tezuka described him as a man. But he was entering the same tournament as them. How old was he? Either way, Fuji found him to childish to be called a man.

He didn't hit the disappearing serve the second time, because it wasn't Matsuda receiving it. He wasn't mean enough to belittle a kid who had nothing to do with it. He did the third time. He was tempted to ask Tezuka to miss the next ball just so he could do it the fifth time. It was Tezuka though, so it would happen.

"YOU LITTLE BAST-" Matsuda screamed. Fuji simply blocked out the sound mentally and continued.

Game Seigaku three games to none.

It was the serve of the kid who they didn't know. It would have been polite to ask of his name, but somehow they got the impression Matsuda didn't like to talk to the composition. The boy served. Average. Tezuka returned it. Matsuda returned that with a mocking grunt, it was a cord ball. Fuji plunged forward to hit the ball landing on his knees near the net, he did too, it bounced of his racket an over the other side of the net, only problem was it was a chance ball. Matsuda jumped up on the other side of the court and grinned as he took pleasure in the look on the tensai's face when he smashed the ball down in his direction.

Crystal clear eyes glazed over with fear as Fuji braced himself for the incoming powerful blow from the tennis ball. He turned his eyes away from the flight zone and stared through the net.

He waited, and 1 second seemed to last for 5. that was because it was five. Fuji looked up, to see why he hadn't been hit with the tennis ball. The sunlight was blocked from reaching his face, as the shadow of his captain sheltered his body, arm out stretched, ball on the other side of the court.

"Not this time. Your not hurting him again." His captain said in a melodic voice, that calmed all of his worries and fears.

"Always playing the hero aren't you. Why do you save everyone. Why are you so fantastic?"

"I'm not. I save people because they shouldn't be hurt. Even if you wish them to be." Fuji blinked. Of Corse Tezuka would be his knight in shining armour. Even if he didn't know it. Tezuka offered a hand, helping Fuji up. Fuji blushed, and took the offer. "I'm sorry. You shouldn't have been involved in this." Tezuka still didn't let go of his hand, Fuji noted.

"well I am now. Nothing you can do about it." Fuji smiled honestly. Why was Tezuka apologising? There was no need, he did nothing wrong. "we just need to win, and go back home."

Tezuka looked him in the eye. "Fuji…"

"I know" his smile widened, involuntarily, "Tezuka, I know" he said as he tore his hand away from his captains grip, pink dusting his cheeks. They were in public, and he hoped no one noticed.

They returned back to their places. Except, it was different. All the pieces just seemed to be put in their places, silently all the words had been said, all that they needed to know, they knew. For the first time, they played doubled. For the first time, it was just… right. It felt like all the, doubt, worry, the hesitation, had gone. The string had flew away. In its place, were one thousand steel chains. The correct words weren't said. They didn't have to be. Every thing just fell into its place.

The game finished. They won six games to none. The crowd applauded loudly, and stared as Matsuda stormed off. Eiji got over exited. He jumped up and kissed Oishi right on the lips. The latter reddened, but welcomed it. Fuji smiled, and looked at his friends.

He held his breath, and turned to his captain. "we won the match"

"we won more than that" returned his… friend?

He held his hand out. Fuji did the same. They stood for a second, simply with Tezuka bigger hand encasing Fujis as they looked towards each other, Fuji smiled. After a while the team ran onto the court to congratulate them, which ended with a huge, circular group hug Eiji, then Oishi, then Ryoma then Momo then Inui then Kaido then Fuji then Tezuka then Kawamura. They pulled away, but Tezuka took Fujis hand before he could move.

"Tezuka?" Fuji blushed. By then the team had moved away and were heading back to the van to take them back to the cottage, where they would pack their thing then head home. It was just them on the court.

"I didn't want you to get involved in this."

"I've told you. It doesn't matter, ne?"

Tezuka looked at him, deep hazel eyes sung sweet with comfort, he grabbed fujis hand and swung it slightly in his. "you got hurt. Of Corse it matters."

"It shouldn't" Fuji reassured him.

"Well it does. To me at least." His cheeks flushed with colour upon hearing his captain say that. His heart was beating faster than a cheetah on a treadmill.

They walked back to the bus, in a comfortable silence, just happy to be in each others presence.

When they got back to there cottage and had all got off the buss, their bags were waiting for them just out side. They couldn't tell weather it was because the people wanted them gone, or if they were trying to be helpful.

But none the less, Tezuka and Oishi loaded the suitcases on to the vehicles, and everyone piled on again.

Fuji smiled widely as he walked to the back of the bus where he always sat.

A crystal clear tear rolled down his cheek as he silently begun to glow in happiness. On the seat was

one single.

White.

Rose.

And a note.

_Hope you didn't sit on it._

_Love Tezuka._

He laughed silently to himself, as he remembered how Tezuka mocked his note about not laying on the blue rose he gave him. He looked towards the front of the bus, where his captain was sat counting the amount of people to make sure they left no one behind. His eyed stopped when they met with those of a genius. '_Thank you'_ Fuji mouthed. Tezuka just smiled at him. He actually smiled. And it made Fuji melt.

He came to a conclusion. Tennis weekly magazine was a _very_ good read.


End file.
